The Amritsar Rural Police, in a joint operation with a central agency on Thursday, dismantled a narco-arms smuggling network operating along the Indo-Pak border and arrested a key operative involved in the racket. Following his arrest, the police claimed to have foiled a possible targeted killing attempt.
The accused, identified as Gursewak Singh, alias Guri, a resident of Ghagge village in Tarn Taran district, was arrested with 1.128 kg of heroin and three Pakistan-made .30 bore pistols.
Kanwalpreet Singh, SSP, Amritsar Rural, said preliminary investigations revealed that the accused was part of a cross-border network that received consignments of drugs and weapons from Pakistan through drones. The recovered weapons are suspected to have been used in targeted killings, raising concerns about the nexus between narcotics trafficking and organised crime.
The police have also found links between the accused and notorious Ravi Gujjar, alias Ravi, of the Balachauria gang, which has been involved in multiple criminal activities in the region.
A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Lopoke police station.
Police sources said Gursewak Singh is a habitual offender and is already facing nine criminal cases in the past.
Further investigations are underway to establish forward and backward linkages of the smuggling network, identify other associates, and trace the intended recipients of the narcotics and weapons.
The SSP said efforts are being made to uncover the entire chain of operatives connected to the module and determine its links with organised crime groups operating in Punjab.
