Chandigarh, March 5 (UNI) In a major blow to trans-border smuggling, Punjab Police have busted a network operated by a US-based drug smuggler by seizing 23 Kg Heroin worth Rs 161 crore from a village in Amritsar, the state's top cop said on Wednesday.
State Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the Amritsar Rural Police made the drug haul from Devi Daspura village under Jandiala police station, with preliminary investigation revealing the consignment is linked to a smuggling network operated by USA-based smuggler Jasmit Singh alias Lucky.
The Attari birder between India and Pakistan is located in the Amritsar district.
In this case, a manhunt is on for the alleged accused Sahilpreet Singh alias Karan of Devi Daspura village, who retrieved the consignment. Multiple police teams are actively working to arrest him.The DGP said further investigation is on to trace both backward and forward linkages in the smuggling network.Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Border Range Satinder Singh accompanied by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Amritsar Rural, Maninder Singh, while addressing a press conference said cops during a Naka Bandi received reliable input that the alleged accused Sahilpreet has retrieved a consignment of Heroin from across the border.Acting swiftly, teams from Jandiala police station launched an intelligence operation and recovered 23 packets of Heroin, each weighing 1 kg, kept in a jute bag from a pinpointed location in village Devi Daspura, he said. The consignment is worth Rs 161 crore in the international market.The DIG said the probe revealed that the accused Sahilpreet was in direct touch with US-based smuggler Jasmit Singh, who arranged the consignment.According to the information, Jasmit has a criminal background and cases pertaining to the Arms Act and attempt to murder are registered against him. UNI GS SSP