Punjab police uncover international drug ring

Punjab police have broken up an international drug and weapon smuggling operation with links in Pakistan and arrested two wanted criminals in the case. A 7.65 mm pistol, heroin, drug proceeds, two mobile phones, two wi-fi dongles and a KTM racing bike was also seized.

Chandigarh: In yet another crackdown on the international drug and weapon smuggling networks being operated from across the border, Punjab Police arrested two wanted criminals on Sunday in a follow-up action after the recently busted international drug and weapon smuggling racket, which was being operated by BSF constable Sumit Kumar alias Noni.

A 7.65 mm Pistol etched with made in Italy markings, heroin, drug proceeds, two mobile phones, two wi-fi dongles and a KTM racing bike were also recovered from their possession.

Addressing a presser on Monday, Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta disclosed that the two accused were arrested on October 4 from near Kartarpur in Jalandhar when they were on a heroin deliver mission. The two arrested included Simranjeet Singh alias Simran (26) of Dhirpur village in Jalandhar district and Balram Singh (26) of Surakhpur village in Kapurthala district. The KTM bike which the drug smugglers were riding, had been stolen from the parking lot of a private university.

A case has been registered against them in PS Kartarpur under the relevant sections of NDPS Act, Arms Act and the IPC.

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Simranjeet was an absconding criminal in the murder case of sand gravel businessmen of Hamira village in Kapurthala nearly 10 months ago.

Sharing further details, AIG CI Jalandhar Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh informed that the Punjab Police had earlier arrested one Amanpreet Singh of Dhirpur village in a murder case of sand gravel businessmen of Hamira village. And it had been found that Amanpreet and his brothers were in contact with one Shah Musa of Pakistan for smuggling of drugs across the international border.

During the probe, it was revealed that Amanpreet had come into contact with Shah Musa through BSF constable Sumit who had been lodged in Gurdaspur jail in connection with a murder case. The conspiracy to smuggle drugs and weapons from across the border had been hatched in Gurdaspur jail.

After getting bail in the murder case, Sumit was posted at a guard tower at the international border with Pakistan in Samba sector of Jammu from where he kept in constant touch with trans-border smugglers who were further in contact with Shah Musa in Pakistan.

DGP had earlier shared that Sumit had facilitated the entry and delivery of 40 packets of heroin and a Zigana 9mm pistol over the border fence where he was deployed. He kept the pistol for himself after the delivery of heroin to some unidentified people.

Sumit had received Rs 39 lakh for the successful influx of drugs and weapons, in two instalments of Rs 15 lakh and Rs 24 lakh.

Simranjeet, who is the brother of Amanpreet Singh, had admitted that he and his brother had killed sand gravel businessman Jagjit Singh of Hamira village.

DGP revealed that three criminal cases were already registered against him while his accomplice Balram Singh is also facing a case under Arms Act registered at PS Kotwali Kapurthala. He had been released on bail on from Kapurthala Jail due to corona pandemic.

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