The North News
Chandigarh, May 1
Punjab Police have recovered five kilograms of heroin from a rented house in Amritsar linked to an absconding smuggler accused of involvement in a Pakistan-backed arms and drugs trafficking network, officials said on Thursday. According to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, the recovery was made during an operation under the state’s anti-drug campaign Yudh Nashian De Virudh. The suspect, Jodhbir Singh alias Jodha, had been working with handlers based in Australia and Pakistan to transport drugs and weapons across Punjab.
The police said the house in Varindavan Garden Colony, located on Fatehgarh Churian Road, was being used by Singh to store heroin and as a hideout. A currency counting machine was also recovered from the premises. Jodha remains at large while his associate, Abhishek Kumar from Meerankot Kalan village, was arrested four days earlier by the Counter Intelligence wing in Amritsar. Kumar was allegedly acting under instructions from an Australia-based individual known as Jassa. Seven pistols, ₹1.5 lakh in cash, and a Mahindra Thar vehicle were recovered during Kumar’s arrest.
Preliminary investigations suggest Singh was retrieving heroin consignments for distribution and sending proceeds to Pakistan through hawala channels, police said. A new case has been registered under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the State Special Operation Cell in Amritsar. Police say a manhunt is underway to locate and arrest Jodha.
