Chandigarh, Oct 27 : In an intelligence-led operation, Punjab Police on Sunday busted a cross-border cartel using water route to transport drugs by seizing 105 kg heroin from two associates of foreign-based drug smuggler Navpreet Singh alias Nav Bhullar.

The police also seized 31.93 kg caffeine anhydrous, 17 kg DMR, five foreign-made pistols and one 'desi katta', Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.

He said that the water route was used to transport drugs from Pakistan. Big rubber tubes of tyres have also been recovered, indicating that narcotic contraband was smuggled through the waterway.

Two people, Navjot Singh and Lovepreet Kumar, have been arrested.

Yadav said that a first information report (FIR) has been registered at the police station of State Special Operations Cell in Amritsar. Investigation is going on to establish backward and forward linkages to arrest more criminals involved in the drug cartel.

The Border Security Force (BSF), responsible for safeguarding the 553-km long varied, tough, and challenging India-Pakistan border in Punjab, last year detected and downed 107 drones and seized 442.395 kg of heroin.

Besides seizing 23 weapons and 505 rounds of ammunition, it killed three Pakistan intruders, apprehended 23 Pakistan nationals, including two smugglers, 14 Bangladeshi nationals, and 95 Indian suspects, including 35 smugglers, in different incidents.

Braving innumerable challenges, including inclement weather conditions and the spate of smuggling, BSF men are guarding borders round the clock with unflinching dedication.

During 2023, the BSF troopers of the Punjab Frontier had handed over 12 Pakistani nationals, who had inadvertently crossed the international border, to Pakistan Rangers.

During the unprecedented flood in bordering districts of Punjab -- Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, and Ferozepur, the BSF conducts rescue and relief operations and evacuate villagers and families living on the border in flood-prone areas of Ravi and Sutlej rivers to safer areas.

/IANS