A cross-border arms and narcotics network operated by handlers based in Pakistan and Malaysia has been dismantled by Amritsar Police, with nine individuals arrested and substantial seizures made in two separate cases. Authorities say the criminal syndicate spanned multiple international hubs, including Dubai, and relied on drone drops across the border.
Addressing a press briefing on Friday, Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the breakthrough came as part of the city police’s “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign against drugs and organised crime.
“Commissionerate police Amritsar has got a huge success in the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign. We have busted an arms-narco module run by Pakistani and Malaysian handlers. Three people have been arrested. Five sophisticated weapons and one kg of heroin have been recovered from them, sent through the international border via drone,” Bhullar said.
Among the recoveries were three 9 mm Glock pistols, two .30 bore Chinese pistols, and 1 kg of heroin, he added.
The three accused, hailing from Barnala district, Fatehgarh Churian, and Tarn Taran, reportedly travelled to Amritsar with instructions to deliver the consignment. Two had recently returned from Malaysia, allegedly sent back with the explicit aim of advancing the smuggling operation. “They came to Amritsar for the same purpose. They were supposed to deliver their consignment but were arrested before it,” Bhullar stated.
In a parallel crackdown, six more persons were arrested with ₹9.7 lakh in hawala and drug money, Bhullar confirmed. “Our CIA (Crime Investigation Agency) team arrested Danish and recovered 150 grams of heroin. A young woman named Saloni was arrested. After that, a resident of Amritsar Rural, Jobanpreet and Kulwinder Singh from Ludhiana were arrested. Abdul Rahman and Pradeep Pintu, residents of Karnataka, were also arrested,” he said.
Investigations have unearthed a complex financial trail linking Delhi, Dubai, and Pakistan, with hawala networks suspected of routing funds from India to support international smuggling operations. “When deliveries come to India, the money via Delhi is going to Dubai and then Pakistan. We are investigating all the linkages from Dubai to Pakistan,” Bhullar said.
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This operation follows another major breakthrough on 30 June, when Amritsar Commissionerate Police, working jointly with the Border Security Force (BSF) and Rajasthan Police, dismantled an international drug cartel controlled by Pak-based Tanveer Shah and Canada-based Joban Kaler. A staggering 60.302 kg of heroin was recovered from near the International Border in Barmer, Rajasthan.
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav, posting on X, said: “In a massive crackdown, #Amritsar Commissionerate Police, with the support of BSF and Rajasthan Police, dismantles a major international drug cartel operated by Pak-based smuggler Tanveer Shah and Canada-based handler Joban Kaler and recovers a huge consignment of 60.302 Kg Heroin from near the International Border in Barmer, Rajasthan.”
Police said investigations are ongoing and further arrests and disclosures are expected in the coming days, as the syndicate's international links come under the scanner.
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