AI Generated Summary
- The accused, identified as Prabhjit Singh, a resident of Moude border village, was apprehended in the Chheharta area on Saturday following a tip-off.
- According to ANTF officials, Singh was on his way to deliver the contraband to local operatives allegedly working under the directions of Pakistan-based drug smugglers.
- The arrest highlights the growing nexus between cross-border drug syndicates and local operatives and underscores the increasing use of drones for smuggling narcotics into Punjab.
In a significant breakthrough against cross-border drug trafficking, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), Border Range, has arrested a UK returnee with 15.4 kg of heroin in Amritsar.
The accused, identified as Prabhjit Singh, a resident of Moude border village, was apprehended in the Chheharta area on Saturday following a tip-off. According to ANTF officials, Singh was on his way to deliver the contraband to local operatives allegedly working under the directions of Pakistan-based drug smugglers.
Pakistan Link Unearthed
Superintendent of Police (ANTF), Gurpreet Singh, confirmed the seizure and revealed that preliminary investigations had established Prabhjit’s direct contact with a notorious Pakistani smuggler known by aliases “Chacha” or “Rana”.
Prabhjit had reportedly gone to England in 2021 and returned to India in 2023. During his stay abroad, he came into contact with Chacha through Gurlal Singh, a drug peddler from his village. After Gurlal’s death, the Pakistani handler allegedly enticed Prabhjit into drug smuggling, promising quick money.
Drone Smuggling Suspected
On the day of the arrest, Prabhjit was intercepted while driving a car loaded with heroin. “The consignment is suspected to have been smuggled into India using drones. However, investigations are ongoing to confirm the exact route and method of delivery,” said SP Gurpreet Singh.
Custody and Further Investigation
The accused was produced before a duty magistrate and remanded in police custody. The ANTF is now probing his forward and backward linkages to identify other members of the drug network.
Though Prabhjit claimed this was his first delivery, police sources said they are investigating his role in earlier consignments and working to trace the exact point where the drugs entered Indian territory.
The arrest highlights the growing nexus between cross-border drug syndicates and local operatives and underscores the increasing use of drones for smuggling narcotics into Punjab.
