2 Pakistan-backed drug smugglers held in Punjab
Sep 24, 2020
Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], September 24 : Two Pakistan-backed drug smugglers have been arrested in Khem Karan sector of Tarn Taran along the International Border and 13 kgs heroin consignment have been seized from their possession. A manhunt has been launched for their third accomplice.
According to Dinkar Gupta, Director General of Police, the arrest of Jora Singh, and his associate Ranjit Singh, who were planning to deliver the consignment to drug syndicates and suppliers across the state, has exposed the nexus between drug smugglers operating in Punjab and their handlers in Pakistan.
The activities of Jora Singh were under watch based on specific information was received by Tarn Taran police. Currently on bail since March 2020, he was also apprehended by security agencies near the IB for suspicious activities in August 2019. Four FIRs are already registered against him for drug smuggling, in which a huge quantity of narcotic substance was recovered. He had also amassed a number of properties without any legal source of income.
Gupta said that initial investigations had revealed that Jora Singh, along with his two associates Pawandeep Singh and Ranjit Singh @ Rana Singh, was in touch with Pakistan-based smugglers. He was trying to procure a heroin consignment from the Pakistan side into the area of (BOP) Rattoke, Border Security Force (BSF). They had also conducted recce near the IB, Village Rattoke, PS Khem Karan.
During investigations, Ranjit Singh @ Rana Singh admitted that he had organized the delivery of a heroin consignment that was scheduled to arrive in the area of BOP Rattoke from Pakistan. The BSF was contacted immediately and taken into the loop and the heroin recovery was made from about 50 metres from the zero line of Indo-Pak border, according to the press release by Punjab Police.
Ranjit Singh has three FIRs registered against him and he was also out on bail since October 14, 2014. There are two FIRs also already against Pawandeep Singh for his involvement in drug trafficking and he was out on bail since February 20, 2018, it added.
