Punjab Police busts cross-border drug cartel; seizes ICE and heroin in major raids
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police has dismantled a highly organised cross-border drug cartel linked to foreign-based handlers who used WhatsApp communication and drone-based deliveries for smuggling, with the arrest of three operatives and recovery of 4.083 kg methamphetamine (ICE) and 1.032 kg heroin from their possession. Punjab Police said the cartel operated through Pakistan-based and other foreign handlers who relied on WhatsApp and drone drops to move contraband across the border. Director General of Police, Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, said those arrested have been identified as Balwinder Singh alias Binder (25), a resident of Daoke village in Amritsar; Navtej Singh (33), a native of Mahwa village in Amritsar currently residing in Tarn Taran; and Mahabir Singh (32), a resident of Kaaliya Sakataran village in Tarn Taran. Apart from the contraband, police also recovered Rs 2,500 drug money, impounded a car and an Activa scooter. He said preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested persons were coordinating with smugglers in Pakistan and abroad using WhatsApp. Further probe is underway to trace backward and forward linkages of the network. Sharing operational details, Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said police first arrested Balwinder Singh with 35 gm of ICE. During interrogation, Balwinder revealed his links with a Pakistan-based trafficker who shared drone drop locations via WhatsApp. Acting on his disclosures, police recovered another 2.042 kg of ICE, taking the total recovery from him to 2.077 kg. In a parallel operation, police intercepted Navtej Singh with 40 gm of ICE. Further investigation revealed he had previously worked in Doha, Qatar, where he connected with a handler who later shifted operations to India through WhatsApp-based instructions. Navtej had acted as a ground courier, retrieving drug packets and supplying them further. Based on his disclosures, police recovered an additional 1.966 kg of ICE, taking the total seized from him to 2.006 kg. In the third operation, police arrested Mahabir Singh with 1.032 kg heroin. Investigations showed he was receiving consignments from a Pakistan-based smuggler using drone drops, an advanced method of cross-border narcotics transport. Three separate cases - FIR No. 337 (December 5) under Sections 21-C and 29 of NDPS Act, FIR No. 340 (December 9) under Section 21-C at Police Station Hakima, and FIR No. 251 (December 7, 2025) under Sections 22-B and 22-C at Police Station Chheharta - have been registered in this regard. Meanwhile, state police conducted raids at 339 locations on Wednesday, leading to the arrest of 84 drug smugglers after registering 70 FIRs across Punjab. With this, the total number of drug smugglers arrested in 284 days has reached 39,984. The raids resulted in recovery of 4 kg ICE, 1.7 kg of heroin, 50 gm of opium, 33 kg of poppy husk, 965 intoxicant pills and Rs 2,910 drug money from those arrested. Over 120 police teams, comprising more than 1,000 personnel and supervised by 68 gazetted officers, carried out the 339 raids. Police teams also checked 335 suspicious persons during the operation. Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has directed Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police to make Punjab a drug-free state. The government has also formed a five-member Cabinet Sub-Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs. The state has implemented a three-pronged strategy - Enforcement, De-addiction and Prevention (EDP) - to eradicate drugs. As part of the 'De-addiction' effort, Punjab Police convinced 42 individuals to undergo rehabilitation treatment on Wednesday.
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