KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
On April 13, Punjab Police, on day 44 of the “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, arrested 61 drug smugglers and recovered 1.3 kg of heroin and drug money amounting to INR 91.3 lakh from their possession across Punjab.
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab Police on April 13, recovered a packet of heroin weighing 554 grams from fields near Wan village in Patti, Tarn Taran district.
Police on April 13 arrested three individuals—Kuljit Singh alias Babbu, Harjinder Singh alias Sabi, and Amandeep Singh alias Raja—and seized 20 grams of heroin, 124 intoxicating tablets, an Activa scooter, a motorcycle, and an electronic weighing machine from their possession in Mehatpur village, Nakodar, Jalandhar district.
On April 12, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) secured five-day police custody of Hira Singh, arrested with 18 kg of heroin in Amritsar district. Investigations revealed Hira’s links to a Pakistan-based smuggler, Billa, who allegedly used a hexacopter drone for cross-border drug drops. A manhunt is underway for Hira’s absconding accomplice, Kulwinder Singh.
The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of the Punjab Police, on April 11, arrested a drug peddler identified as Hira Singh and seized 18.227 kg of heroin in Amritsar district. Singh and his accomplice, Kulwinder Singh, are believed to have links with a Pakistan-based smuggler, Billa, and are allegedly involved in smuggling drugs via drones across the International Border. Police are continuing efforts to apprehend Kulwinder Singh, who remains at large.
Punjab Police, on April 11—Day 42 of the “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign—arrested 109 drug smugglers and recovered 2.9 kg of heroin, 1.6 kg of opium, 350 kg of poppy husk, and INR 26,220 in drug money from their possession across Punjab.
On April 10, Punjab Police, on Day 41 of the 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign, arrested 84 drug smugglers and recovered 2.5 kg of heroin, 86 kg of poppy husk, and INR 70,400 in drug money from their possession across Punjab.
Police on April 9 arrested three individuals, identified as Ranjit Singh alias Rana, Gurdev Singh alias Gedi, and Shailendra Singh alias Selu, and seized 500 grams of heroin, one Glock 9mm pistol along with two magazines, and INR 33 lakh hawala money from their possession, in Lopoke village in Ajnala in Amritsar district.
Punjab Police, on April 9, on Day 40 of its ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ (War Against Drugs) campaign, arrested 111 drug smugglers and recovered 3.7 kg of heroin, 253 kg of poppy husk, and INR 98,800 in drug money from their possession across Punjab.
The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab Police on April 9, recovered a packet of heroin weighing 569 grams from agricultural fields near Wan village in Patti, Tarn Taran district.
On April 8, Punjab Police, on Day 39 of its ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ (War Against Drugs) campaign, arrested 71 drug smugglers and seized 1.8 kg of heroin, 4.9 kg of opium, 13,362 intoxicant capsules/tablets, and INR 9,000 in drug money from their possession across Punjab.
On April 8, Punjab Police, on Day 39 of its ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ (War Against Drugs) campaign, arrested 71 drug smugglers and seized 1.8 kg of heroin, 4.9 kg of opium, 13,362 intoxicant capsules/tablets, and INR 9,000 in drug money from their possession across Punjab.
Police on April 8 busted two Pakistan-backed drug cartels and arrested eight key operatives, including an inspector of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Manjit Singh, and his associate Ravi Kumar, and seized 4.04 kg of heroin and a motorcycle in Amritsar district. Police believe the cartels were operating in coordination with Pakistan-based smugglers. Further investigation is underway.
The Customs Department at Sri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport seized 7.7 kg of ganja from an Indian passenger, identified as Chanan Singh, on April 7 in Amritsar district.
Punjab Police on April 7 arrested a smuggler, identified as Tamandeep Singh and seized 2 kg of heroin and 900 grams of ICE drug (Crystal Meth) from his possession, in Amritsar in Amritsar district.
Punjab Police on April 7, as part of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” (War Against Drugs) conducted a cordon and search operation (CASO) at 225 Bus Stands along with 466 locations, and arrested 38 drug smugglers after the registration of 31 first information reports (FIRs), and seized 2.2 kg of heroin, 1.8 kg of opium and INR 17600 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers, across Punjab.
The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of Punjab Police on April 7 arrested two smugglers, identified as Dharmendra Singh and his associate Tejinder Singh, and seized a large quantity of illegal substances, including 35 kg of poppy husk, 77 kg of cannabis, 240 grams of opium, 50 opium plants, INR 13 lakh in drug money, and four luxury vehicles in Mohali, in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district. Dharminder Singh, a history-sheeter with 11 prior cases, is the husband of Sarabjeet Kaur, the sarpanch of Raipur Mandlan village in Patiala tehsil, Patiala district.
Amritsar police on April 7 arrested two unidentified drug peddlers and seized 310 grams of heroin from their possession in Ghumtala area in Amritsar in Amritsar district. The accused were using a Delhi-registered vehicle with a “Punjab Police” sticker to evade checks.
Police on April 6 arrested a drug smuggler, identified as Arun Setia and seized 2 kg of heroin, a .32 bore pistol, four live cartridges and two empty shells along with a motorcycle from his possession, near Ladhuka village in Jalalabad in Fazilka district. Setia was injured in retaliatory firing after he shot at the Police team while trying to flee, and was admitted to a local hospital for treatment.
Punjab Police on April 6, as part of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh" (war against drugs), conducted raids at 337 locations, registered 37 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 54 drug smugglers and seized 411 grams of heroin, 1617 intoxicant tablets/pills and INR 34,400 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers across Punjab.
On April 5, Punjab Police, as part of its “Yudh Nashe De Virudh” (War Against Drugs), conducted raids at 429 locations across the state, registered 48 FIRs, arrested 71 drug smugglers, and seized 1.5 kg of heroin, 500 grams of opium, and INR 6,020 in drug money from their possession.
The Barnala police on April 5 arrested four smugglers, identified as Nirmal Singh, Beant Singh, Inderjit Singh, and Harjinder Singh, and seized 15 quintals of poppy husk packed in 75 bags near Barnala in Barnala district, while a fifth accused, truck driver Jagsir Singh, managed to escape and remains absconding.
As part of its “Yudh Nasheyan Virudh” campaign, Punjab Police on April 4 conducted raids at 469 locations across the state, arresting 46 drug smugglers, registering 30 FIRs, and seizing 643 grams of heroin, 450 grams of opium, 4,318 intoxicant tablets/pills, and INR 5,760 in drug money.
The Operations Cell of the Chandigarh Police on April 3 busted an international drug peddling gang and arrested four individuals, identified as Akashdeep Singh alias Akash, Shamsher Singh alias Shera, and Gurlal Singh alias Lala and seized 297.40 grams of heroin, 100 cocaine crack balls (47.10 grams), one country-made pistol, INR 5,200 in drug money, a Swift car, and a drug weighing machine from their possession in Chandigarh. Investigations revealed that the gang was being operated from Goindwal Jail in Punjab, with Gurlal Singh orchestrating the network from behind bars. The gang was also involved in sending drug proceeds to Pakistan through hawala channels.
The Operations Cell of the Chandigarh Police on April 3 arrested a Tanzanian national, Shufaa alias Shufee, and seized 100 cocaine/crack balls from her possession at the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT), Sector-17, Chandigarh. A resident of Uttam Nagar in Delhi, Shufaa is suspected of operating a drug network across the Delhi-Punjab region. Police revealed that she had been previously convicted in 2018 for possession of a commercial quantity of heroin and was sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.