Amritsar, 01 August (H.S.) Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar has busted a cross-border narcotics smuggling and organised criminal nexus with the arrest of one operative and recovered 20 kg heroin from his possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

The arrested person has been identified as Om Sharma, a resident of Amritsar Road at Jhabal in Tarntaran. Apart from recovering big haul of heroin, police teams have also impounded his Honda City car, bearing registration number PB46AJ6021, being used for smuggling activities.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused was acting on the directions of a foreign-based handler linked to cross-border smugglers. The accused was allegedly responsible for receiving heroin consignments in the border area and delivering them to other parties across Punjab, he said.

Sharing operational details, he said that CI Amritsar had received specific information that associates of foreign-based handler are actively engaged in the illegal trafficking of narcotic drugs and have been receiving consignments of heroin from his Pakistan based associates in the border area of Ajnala District Amritsar using drones and then on his directions deliver the same to their associate Om Sharma, who delivers the narcotic consignments further to other parties in the state.

The information further revealed that, suspect Om has recently got a huge consignment of heroin and is coming in the area of Sohian Kalan at Fatehgarh Churian Road, Amritsar for further delivering to other party, he said, while adding that acting swiftly, police team conducted raid and intercepted Om Sharma from near Dana Mandi at Sohian Kalan, and recovered 20 kg heroin from his possession.

The DGP said that further investigation is underway to establish forward and backward linkages in this case to identify the entire network, and uncover possible connections with previously busted narcotics smuggling modules. In this regard, a case has been registered at Police Station State Special Operation Cell, Amritsar.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH