Raid in Kharar Leads to Recovery of Heroin, Methamphetamine, and Cash; Two Absconding Accused Still on the Run
Chandigarh (Chandan Singh, Page 3 News): In a significant operation aimed at curbing the growing drug menace in Punjab, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of the Punjab Police has dismantled a drug trafficking module with the arrest of a key drug smuggler from Tarn Taran. Authorities seized over 5 kg of heroin, approximately 1.7 kg of methamphetamine (ICE), and ₹6.5 lakh in drug money from the arrested individual.
The arrested smuggler, identified as Akashdeep Singh, hails from Goindwal Sahib in Tarn Taran. The operation, led by the ANTF Rupnagar Range, also led to the recovery of a white Chevrolet Cruze (DL 82 AP 9522), which Singh was reportedly using to transport the drug consignments. Police also found a leather bag and two electronic weighing machines during the raid.
Punjab’s Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav confirmed that Akashdeep Singh was in contact with a key handler who coordinates the distribution of narcotics across the Tricity area. Preliminary investigations suggest that this handler plays a central role in the transportation and delivery of large drug consignments throughout the region.
“This arrest is part of our ongoing drive to rid Punjab of the drug scourge, as per the directives of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. The breakthrough is a result of coordinated efforts by the Anti-Narcotics Task Force to clamp down on drug trafficking networks,” said DGP Yadav.
The raid, which took place at a flat in Nature Hut 3 in Kharar, was conducted based on specific intelligence about Singh’s activities and his associates. ANTF officials said that while Singh was arrested, two of his accomplices managed to escape by jumping from the flat’s balcony into an adjacent empty plot.
AIG AS Aulakh, who oversees operations at the ANTF Rupnagar Range, confirmed that raids are still underway to apprehend the two absconding individuals. “We are following strong leads and expect further recoveries in the coming days,” said Aulakh.
The police have registered an FIR (No. 305, dated 24-11-2025) under Sections 21-C and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Police Station ANTF Mohali.
Authorities are also looking to trace the entire drug distribution network, with further investigations underway to uncover the full scale of the operation and its links to larger drug syndicates in the region.
The Punjab Police’s continued crackdown on drug trafficking is seen as part of a larger push by the state government to make Punjab a drug-free state.
