Two held in Taran Taran, Pak-backed drug smuggling racket busted

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 24

The Punjab Police on Friday arrested two Pakistan-backed drug smugglers in the Khem Karan sector of Tarn Taran along the International Border, and seized 13 kg of heroin from them.

A manhunt has been launched to nab another accomplice, said the police.

The arrested have been identified as Jora Singh and his associate Ranjit Singh alias Rana Singh.

The two were planning to deliver the consignment to drug syndicates and suppliers across the state, the police added.

Their arrest has exposed the nexus between drug smugglers operating in Punjab and their handlers in Pakistan, said DGP Dinkar Gupta.

The operation was carried out by a team led by SSP, Tarn Taran, Dhruman Nimbale. It included SP (Narcotics); DSP (Bhikhiwind); In Charge (Narcotics); SHO, Khem Karan; and SHO, Sarai Amant Khan.

An FIR under sections 21 and 29 of the NDPS Act has been lodged at Khem Karan police station in this case, said the police.

Acting of specific information, Tarn Taran Police increased their vigil on Jora Singh, a resident of Mahedipur village.  

Jora Singh was apprehended by security agencies near the IB for suspicious activities in August 2019 and is out on bail since March 2020.

Four FIRs are already registered against him for drug smuggling, in which huge quantity of narcotic substance was recovered. He has also amassed a number of properties without any legal source of income, said the police.

The DGP Gupta said that initial investigations had revealed that Jora Singh, along with his two associates – Pawandeep Singh and Ranjit Singh – was in touch with Pakistan-based smugglers and was trying to procure a heroin from the Pakistan side into the Rattoke border out-post (BOP) area.

They had also conducted recce near the IB, Rattoke village, he said.

During investigation, Ranjit Singh, a resident of Havelian, admitted that he had organised the delivery of a heroin consignment that was scheduled to arrive in the area of BOP Rattoke from Pakistan, said the top cop.

The BSF was contacted immediately and taken into the loop and the heroin recovery was made from about 50 metres from the zero line, he added.

Ranjit Singh, resident of Sarai Amanat Khan, has three FIRs registered against him and he was out on bail since October 14, 2014.

There are also two FIRs against Pawandeep Singh, a resident of Sidhwan, for his involvement in drug trafficking and he was out on bail since February 20, 2018, said the police.