Gang smuggling drugs from Pakistan using drones busted
TARN TARAN : The police on Saturday busted a gang involved in the smuggling of heroin from Pakistan with the arrest of three of its members and recovery of two drones from their possession while investigating a case registered in March.
Those arrested have been identified as Surjan Singh of Thathi Khara village, and Hussanpreet Singh, alias Hassi, and Jagjit Singh, alias Jaggi of Havelian village. Police have also identified two more accomplices of the accused as Jodhbir Singh, alias Dolli of Havelian, and Nirmal Singh of Doburji village in Tarn Taran, who are absconding.
A spokesperson of the Tarn Taran police said, “A buzzing sound of a drone was noticed during the intervening night of March 8 and 9 near the border outpost (BOP) Havelian. On the morning of March 9, a thorough search operation was launched by a joint team of the Punjab Police and the Border Security Force (BSF) leading to the recovery of one drone from a field across the fence. A case against some unidentified persons was registered under Sections 10,11,12 of the Aircraft Act at the Sara-e-amanat Khan police station.”
He said, “The follow-up investigation of the case was conducted under the supervision of the superintendent of police (Sp-investigation) Vishaljit Singh. Five persons were booked in the case after their names cropped up during the probe.”
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ranjit Singh Dhillon said, “The police arrested Surjan Singh and Hussanpreet from Tarn Taran on Friday while Jagjit Singh was arrested from Amritsar on Saturday. Our teams recovered a battery, a charger, a data cable and eight wings of a drone from Hussanpreet’s possession while a battery and a charger of a drone were seized from Surjan. Similarly, we have recovered a drone from Jagjit Singh. Our raids to nab the absconding accused are on.”
A senior police official said, “Our preliminary investigation has suggested that the accused had been active for the last three to four months getting the smuggling of many heroin consignments. A preliminary forensic examination of a drone has suggested that it flew many times. The accused had been procuring the drones from New Delhi.”
He said, “The accused said they were sending drones across the border carrying sweets and other gifts and antinational elements had been tying the consignments of heroin during their return. Some of the accused are in contact with
POLICE TEAM RECOVERED A BATTERY, CHARGER, DATA CABLE AND EIGHT WINGS OF A DRONE FROM THE POSSESSION OF ONE OF THE ACCUSED
a few criminals lodged in jails. We will also bring these criminals on a production warrant. The accused had been in contact with their Pakistani counterparts through Whatsapp calling.”
The official said the accused had been flying the drone from the Havelian village. “Our teams are working to know exactly how many consignments of heroin have already been smuggled by the accused. We will also arrest those who were being supplied the heroin in India by the accused,” he said.