Chandigarh/Amritsar: In a major crackdown on cross-border smuggling, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police has dismantled a drug and illegal arms trafficking module with the arrest of a 26-year-old accused and the recovery of 2.1 kg heroin along with seven sophisticated pistols.
The arrested accused, identified as Khush Kumar alias Bholu, a resident of Gurwali Gate in Amritsar, was allegedly linked to a foreign-based handler and used virtual numbers to stay in contact, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said on Monday.
Police said the seized weapons included multiple foreign-made pistols such as a Turkish-made 9MM Gladiator, 9MM Zigana X-SHOT, Italy-made .30 bore Bretta and other pistols reportedly manufactured in China and Austria.
According to the DGP, preliminary investigations revealed that heroin and weapon consignments were being delivered through drones from across the border before being distributed further to criminal elements in Punjab.
The accused, who already has cases registered against him under the NDPS Act, Arms Act and snatching charges, was arrested during an intelligence-led operation conducted by the Amritsar Commissionerate Police.
Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said sustained interrogation after the arrest led to the recovery of the seven pistols. He added that the weapons were allegedly meant to be supplied to criminal networks for carrying out illegal activities.
Police said a case under the NDPS Act and Arms Act has been registered at Police Station C-Division, Amritsar, and further investigations are underway to trace the network’s forward and backward linkages.
