DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

The anti-narcotics task force of Punjab Police has apprehended a drug smuggler and recovered over 18 kg heroin, officials on Friday said.

He and one of his associates were linked to a Pakistan-based drug trafficker.

"In a well-coordinated operation, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (@ANTFPunjab), Border Range, Amritsar, apprehends Hira Singh @ Hira of Village Khaira, PS Gharinda, Amritsar and recovers 18.227 Kg Heroin," Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said in a post on X.

The DGP said the investigations reveal that Hira Singh and his associate Kulwinder Singh alias Kinda of Dauke village, under Gharinda Police Station, were linked to Pakistan-based drug trafficker Billa. "They were smuggling heroin from across the border and supplying it as per the trafficker's instructions," he added.

Yadav said the "raids are underway to nab Kulwinder Singh" and further investigation is in progress "to dismantle the entire network".

Punjab Police in a statement later said that Hira Singh, a resident of Khaira village in Amritsar, is a key drug trafficker. Apart from recovering big haul of heroin, the police teams have also impounded his motorcycle which he was riding.

The DGP said Pakistan-based drug trafficker Billa has been using drones to drop the large consignments of heroin from across the border for the past one year.

Additional DGP, ANTF, Nilabh Kishore, said that police teams of ANTF Border Range Amritsar had received a reliable input that accused Hira Singh and Kulwinder Singh are notorious drug smugglers and had been receiving heroin consignments via drones from Pakistan-based drug smugglers for the past one year.

Acting swiftly, the police teams led by Superintendent of Police, ANTF, Amritsar, Gupreet Singh, launched an operation and arrested the accused Hira Singh when he was leaving his house on a motorcycle to deliver the heroin consignment. The police teams recovered 12 packet of heroin (1.5 kg each), totalling 18 kg 227 gm, from his possession, he said.

(editor@dailyworld.in)