Amritsar (Punjab) [India], August 21: In an intelligence-led operation based on specific inputs, the Amritsar Rural Police foiled a major drug smuggling bid by Pakistan-based smugglers on Saturday and recovered 39 packets of heroin, weighing 40.81 kg in the Panjgraian Border Outpost (BOP), worth approximately Rs 200 crores. The operation was supported by the Border Security Force (BSF) and it was carried out in the border area under the control of the BSF. Dinkar Gupta, Director General of Police (DGP) of Punjab, said “Following an input, Nirmal Singh (Sonu Mayer), a notorious smuggler of Gharinda area, was attempting to smuggle heroin through the Indo-Pak Border.” Gulneet Singh Khurana, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Amritsar (Rural) immediately shared the pin-pointed inputs with the BSF. He added that in the meanwhile, a police team comprising of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) investigation Gurinderpal Singh and DSP Ajnala Vipan Kumar also reached the spot. Dinkar said that the joint teams of Punjab Police and BSF successfully seized the huge heroin cache besides recovering 180 grams of opium and two plastic pipes, manufactured by Super Punjab Pump and made in Pakistan. The police have also impounded a motorcycle and a sooty belonging to the smugglers from the smuggling side found stationed in the vicinity. “The police have launched a massive manhunt to arrest Sonu, who is also wanted by the Tarn Taran Police in case of 1 kg heroin recovery in 2020,” said Khurana. Investigations were on and all the accused persons were likely to be arrested soon, he added. Sharing the modus operandi, Khurana said “The smugglers used Pakistan made plastic pipes to get the heroin across the border fence in the shape of neatly tied packets of heroin contraband”. An FIR into the matter has been registered at Police Station Ramdas, Amritsar.
