Fazilka, Punjab: Security forces in Punjab’s Fazilka district have intercepted a significant quantity of heroin for the second time in three days, seizing over 30 kilograms of the contraband in the town of Jalalabad. Authorities suspect the drugs were smuggled into India from Pakistan via drone, raising concerns about cross-border narcotics trafficking.
Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that the Special Task Force (STF) made the recovery during the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. The operation led to the interception of a Hyundai Verna car near Hari Krishan Cinema on the Fazilka-Ferozepur highway. Three individuals travelling in the vehicle were taken into custody.
Gurinderbir Singh Sidhu, Superintendent of Police (SP) for the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), Ferozepur Range, confirmed the details of the seizure. The search of the car yielded 30 packets of heroin, with the total weight confirmed at 30.672 kilograms. The vehicle’s registration number indicated it belonged to the neighbouring Guruharsahai subdivision of Ferozepur district.
The three arrested individuals have been identified as Hanspreet Singh and Anshpreet Singh, both residents of Ferozepur city, and Akash Singh, a resident of Gulam Patra village, also in Ferozepur district. These arrests are part of ongoing efforts by Punjab Police to combat drug trafficking networks operating within the state.
According to preliminary police investigations, the heroin consignment was reportedly procured from Alike village in Ferozepur district. It was allegedly en route to be delivered to an individual in Jalalabad town when the interception occurred. The police are currently working to identify the intended recipient and other members of the drug smuggling syndicate.
The SP further stated that initial findings strongly suggest the consignment was smuggled into India from Pakistan using a drone. This modus operandi has become a growing concern for border security agencies, as it allows for the covert and rapid transfer of illegal goods across the international boundary. The seizure follows a similar recovery of 30 kg of heroin by the Intelligence Wing of the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) in Fazilka district just three days prior, highlighting a sustained pattern of drug smuggling activity in the region.
The Punjab Police have been intensifying their operations against drug trafficking, particularly in border districts like Fazilka, which share a long and porous border with Pakistan. These efforts are aimed at disrupting the supply chain of narcotics that have plagued communities in Punjab and other parts of India. The ongoing investigations will focus on tracing the origin of the drugs and apprehending all individuals involved in the smuggling operation.
The recovery of such large quantities of heroin underscores the persistent challenge posed by drug trafficking networks. Authorities have indicated that intensified surveillance and coordinated operations will continue along the international border and within the state to curb the menace of narcotics.
The Chenab Times News Desk