Chandigarh, March 18 : In a major blow to the international narcotics network, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police has busted a drug cartel with an arrest and recovery of 8.08 kg heroin, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Tuesday.

The arrested drug smuggler has been identified as Dharminder Singh, alias Sonu, a resident of village Harsha Chhena in Amritsar. Apart from recovering heroin and a .30 bore pistol along with five cartridges from his possession, police teams have impounded his car, which he was using to deliver consignments.

DGP Yadav said that the arrested person was in touch with cross-border drug smugglers, who were using the Ajnala sector to drop the drug consignments using drones from across the border.

Further investigations are ongoing to trace the backward and forward linkages in this case, he said.

Sharing operation details, Amritsar's Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that acting on a tip-off, police teams under the supervision of DCP, Investigation, Ravinder Pal Singh Sandhu, ADCP, Investigation, Navjot Singh, and ACP, North, Kamaljit Singh apprehended the accused from near the Mental Hospital in Amritsar, when he was waiting for someone to deliver the consignment.

Bhullar said that police teams have also identified and nominated his other accomplice involved in the drug smuggling, while the probe is on to identify the person, who was supposed to receive the consignment.

Efforts are being made to uncover the entire network of suppliers, dealers, and buyers, as well as to ascertain the total quantity of drugs purchased by the arrested individuals so far, he added.

A case on March 17 was registered under Sections 21 (C), and 29 of the NDPS Act and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act at the police station at Majitha Road in Amritsar.

/IANS