Punjab Police bust trans-border narcotic smuggling network; one arrested

Chandigarh, July 2 (IANS) A trans-border narcotic smuggling network was busted on Tuesday with the arrest of one person and recovery of 5 kg heroin from his possession, Punjab Police said. The drug smuggler was identified as Lakhwinder Singh, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here.Apart from recovering heroin, the police have also impounded the motorcycle, on which the accused was travelling.Yadav said accused Lakha was directly in touch with a Pakistan-based drug smuggler identified as Ali and has been engaged in drug trafficking. Drones were being used to transport the drug consignments from Pakistan, he added.The DGP said videography of the entire search and seizure process has been done in the presence of a gazetted officer as per provisions of new criminal laws.Investigations are on to establish backward and forward linkages in this case, he added.Sharing operation details, Commissioner of Police (Amritsar) Ranjit Singh Dhillon said the police teams had got inputs that drug smuggler Lakha had retrieved the drug consignment and was on the way from Khemkaran to deliver it in Amritsar.He said acting swiftly on the inputs, the police, under the supervision of ADCP Abhimanyu Rana, laid a trap and arrested the accused from the Khemkaran area.–IANSvg/svn