AMRITSAR: 76 kg heroin seized, 99 arrested

The Special Task Force (STF) of Punjab Police has seized more than 76 kg of heroin during the year 2023 and arrested 99 people in this connection. Apart from the contraband, the STF seized 5 kg of opium, 2,15,220 intoxicating pills and Rs 23 lakh drug money from the arrested smugglers. The STF also seized 14 weapons, including seven pistols, two country-made weapons, one revolver, two rifles and two drones used for cross-border smuggling. One of the major seizures was in August this year when the STF seized 41 kg of heroin after the arrest of three cross-border smugglers from Ramdas area. Interestingly, the drug was hidden under the brick floor of a cattle shed. The contraband was smuggled through the Ravi river. Vishaljeet Singh, Assistant Inspector General (AIG), STF, Amritsar, said this was one of the major drug consignments seized by Punjab Police during the year. An investigation helped the police bust a cross-border drug cartel. In another major incident, four STF policemen were injured in October this year when three smugglers tried to breach a police naka near Khurmaniya village in Gharinda. All three smugglers were arrested and 4 kg of heroin was recovered from them. The smugglers had links with some foreign-based heroin smugglers besides a Pakistan-based smuggler named Faizal. With the arrest of two people in October this year, the STF made another significant seizure of 5 kg of heroin. This racket was being run by a jailed drug smuggler. AIG Vishaljit said, STF has busted many cross-border drug cartels this year.