Drones used to smuggle arms, drugs from Pak; two arrested

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 15

Close on the heels of recovery of ice drug from the Jammu border, the Punjab Police today said another attempt was being made by Pakistan agencies to smuggle drugs into the region through a terrorist network.

DGP Dinkar Gupta said in a press statement that the Amritsar (rural) police had arrested two members of a module using drones for cross-border smuggling of narcotics and weapons through an international network, including Pakistan-based smugglers with links to Khalistani operatives.

The accused have been identified as Lakhbir Singh, alias Lakha, and Bachittar Singh. Gupta said a quadcopter drone with a full supporter stand and a SkyDroid T10 2.4GHz 10CH FHSS transmitter, along with a mini-receiver and camera support, had been seized. A .32 bore revolver, a Scorpio, live cartridges and drugs have also been confiscated.

Gupta said Lakhbir Singh of Chak Mishri Khan village was nabbed from near Gurdwara Tahla Sahib, PS Chattiwind, Amritsar (rural), on Monday. He said the accused had procured a quadcopter drone from Delhi four months ago and the equipment was currently with his associate Bachittar Singh at Guru Amardas Avenue, Amritsar.

Investigations revealed Lakhbir was in contact with four major drug smugglers of Ajnala, who are lodged in the Amritsar jail. A search in the prison led to the recovery of a smartphone from Lakhbir’s associate Surjit Masih, a drug peddler. The DGP said investigations so far showed Lakhbir had established an extensive network with foreign smugglers and was in touch with Chishti, a notorious Pakistan-based smuggler.

Simranjit Singh, an Amritsar jail inmate, persuaded Lakhbir to purchase a drone for cross-border smuggling of narcotics and weapons. Simranjit has also been named in the case, said Gupta.