9.549 kg heroin, 5.459 kg opium and an illegal .30-bore pistol recovered; police suspect links with overseas smugglers
Amritsar, September 15, 2026: In a major crackdown on drug trafficking and illegal arms supply, Amritsar Commissionerate Police has arrested eight people and recovered 9.549 kg of heroin, 5.459 kg of opium and an illegal .30-bore pistol, police said on Tuesday.
According to Punjab Police, preliminary investigation indicates that the arrested suspects were allegedly connected with foreign-based smugglers and were receiving consignments of drugs and weapons through drones before distributing them further.
Eight suspects arrested
The arrested individuals have been identified as Rajinder Singh, Vinay, Pradeep Singh, Karan Singh alias Karan, Navneet alias Keeda, Jashandeep Singh alias Dhuni, Baljinder Singh and Amrit Pal Singh alias Amrit.
Police said the suspects are residents of different areas of Amritsar and Amritsar Rural.
Three operations lead to major recoveries
Police Commissioner Amritsar Harmanbir Singh Gill said the arrests were made during three separate operations.
In the first operation, police arrested Rajinder Singh and recovered an illegal .30-bore pistol. During the subsequent investigation, his associate Vinay was arrested, leading to the recovery of 4.2 kg of opium. Police later arrested Pradeep Singh, from whom another 1.2 kg of opium was allegedly recovered.
In the second operation, Karan Singh alias Karan was arrested and 7 kg of heroin was recovered. Police subsequently arrested his alleged associates Navneet Singh alias Keeda and Jashandeep Singh alias Dhuni.
In the third operation, police arrested Baljinder Singh and Amrit Pal Singh alias Amrit, recovering 2.5 kg of heroin and a motorcycle, according to the police.
Police probing wider trafficking network
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said investigators have identified links between the arrested suspects and other individuals allegedly involved in the supply chain.
Police are now working to establish the backward and forward linkages of the network and identify other people who may be involved in drug and illegal arms trafficking.
Three FIRs have been registered in connection with the operations at Cantonment, A-Division and Chheharta police stations in Amritsar under relevant provisions of the Arms Act and NDPS Act.
Police investigation continues
The latest arrests form part of the Punjab government’s continuing drive against drug trafficking and illegal weapons. Investigators are expected to examine the alleged overseas connections and the use of drones to determine the wider reach of the network.
