The UT police have unearthed a cross-border narco smuggling racket with the arrest of six accused linked to an international drug syndicate, which was active in the tricity and Punjab.
The police have sized 654-gm heroin worth about Rs 1 crore and 112-gm cocaine valued at Rs 10-15 lakh in this operation.
The crackdown followed an FIR registered under Section 21 of the NDPS Act against a local peddler early this month. The accused, Pooja, was arrested in Sector 38 with 54 grams of cocaine. She is the daughter of notorious drug peddler Bala, also a local resident.
The accused’s interrogation revealed her role in supplying narcotics to addicts in the city and led the investigators to a wider network. The police conducted multiple raids in Chandigarh and Amritsar, during which five accused, identified as Sameer, Mohd Juned, Nihal Singh, Sahibjeet Singh, alias Sabhu; and Amritpal Singh, alias Gopi, were arrested.
The syndicate was not only operating locally but had strong links with Pakistan-based handlers. Pooja sourced drugs from Sameer of Sector 25-D, who procured supplies through Mohd Juned, also a resident of Chandigarh.
The chain extended to Amritsar-based traffickers Nihal, Sahibjeet and Amritpal, who were in direct contact with a Pakistani handler, identified as Zubair Rana of Lahore. He was allegedly responsible for coordinating heroin drops via drones into Punjab on international border.
Amritpal was the kingpin of the racket. He procured consignments dropped by drones from Pakistan and managed the collection of contraband with the help of local associates.
Yugraj from Amritsar, who was recently arrested by the Punjab police with 500-gm heroin, was also linked to this network.
Four accused have been remanded in judicial custody, while two are being interrogated by the police.