ISI-backed drug smuggler held in Punjab, 50 kg heroin seized

Chandigarh: In a major blow to Pakistan’s ISI-backed trans-border drug trafficking module, Punjab Police’s Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has arrested a drug smuggler and recovered 50 kg heroin from his possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.  

The accused has been identified as Sandeep Singh, alias Seepa, a resident of Shanna Sher Singh Wala village in Kapurthala.

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Apart from recovering a big haul of heroin, police teams have also impounded his white Kia Seltos, in which he was travelling.

The accused is a history-sheeter with eight criminal cases registered aganist him

DGP Yadav said preliminary investigation has revealed that the trans-border shipment of 50 kg heroin was sent by Pakistan-based ISI-supported smugglers.

He said the accused is a history-sheeter with eight criminal cases, including five under the NDPS Act, registered against him, indicating his deep involvement in organised drug trafficking. He was recently released from Kapurthala Jail.

The DGP said further investigations are ongoing to establish linkages in this case, and more recovery is likely.

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Sharing operational details, Additional Director General of Police (ANTF) Nilabh Kishore said that acting on precise technical intelligence, ANTF teams were tracking the movement of the accused after he came out of jail earlier this month. Intelligence suggested that the suspect had collected a heavy consignment of contraband from the border village of Baggeke Utar in Jalalabad, he said.

Acting swiftly, ANTF teams spotted the suspect driving towards Ferozepur, and upon being challenged, he attempted to evade arrest, leading to a pursuit by the police team, said the ADGP, adding the suspect was eventually intercepted at Rauke village following a brief encounter where he tried to run his vehicle over the police party.

He said the probe is on to identify the intended recipients of this consignment. A case has been registered under Section 21 of the NDPS Act at the ANTF Police Station in Mohali.

(IANS)