In a breakthrough that marks one of the most significant blows to transnational drug syndicates operating through the India–Pakistan corridor, the Punjab Police has seized a staggering 60 kilograms of heroin in a meticulously coordinated international operation. The seizure, which took place along the sensitive border areas of Punjab, has not only disrupted a major narcotics route but also exposed the extent of overseas involvement in fuelling Punjab’s drug crisis. Intelligence reports confirm that the cartel was being orchestrated by handlers based in Pakistan and Canada—two key hubs in the global narcotics network that have long been under scrutiny for their role in cross-border drug peddling.
According to senior police officials, the heroin consignment was intercepted after months of surveillance and intelligence sharing with both national and international agencies. The operation, which involved the Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), the Border Security Force (BSF), and key cyber-intelligence units, led to the arrest of nine high-profile suspects who are believed to be deeply embedded in the supply chain. The arrested individuals played critical roles in logistics, local distribution, digital coordination, and money laundering. Some were also found to have links with criminal operatives abroad, revealing a highly sophisticated and tech-enabled smuggling architecture.
The contraband, valued at over ₹400 crore in the international market, was concealed using high-tech methods—packed in vacuum-sealed waterproof packets and dropped via drones from across the border under the cover of darkness. These drops were then collected by operatives on the Indian side using pre-shared GPS coordinates. Officials revealed that one of the drones used was recovered with a Pakistani SIM card still intact, and initial forensic reports confirm encrypted communication between handlers in Lahore and intermediaries operating out of British Columbia, Canada.
Punjab’s Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav termed the seizure a “watershed moment” in the state’s war against narcotics. “This is not just a big haul; it is the dismantling of an entire international ring that used border villages as their launchpad. The operatives were using digital apps, encrypted messaging platforms, and cryptocurrency transactions to stay under the radar. But our cyber teams have matched them step for step,” Yadav told the media, emphasizing that operations of this magnitude show the state’s commitment to breaking the backbone of the drug economy.
The operation has also sparked renewed discussions around the nexus between drugs and organized crime in Punjab, where narcotics are often linked to money laundering, arms smuggling, and even terror financing. Investigators are now tracing the financial trails of the cartel, with early signs pointing to links with hawala operators and shell companies in India and abroad. Central agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate and the Narcotics Control Bureau, have been looped in for further action.
Political leaders across party lines have cautiously welcomed the crackdown. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called it a validation of his government’s anti-drug stance and urged the central government to intensify surveillance along the international border. Meanwhile, Opposition leaders have called for a white paper on the extent of foreign involvement in Punjab’s drug trade and demanded tighter immigration checks to stop diaspora-linked drug networks.
The arrests have opened the lid on a dark web of complicity, where drug mules are recruited from among vulnerable youth, and entire villages unknowingly become pawns in a cross-continental supply chain. Local NGOs working in the de-addiction sector say that while such crackdowns help stem the supply, more needs to be done to address the demand through community-based rehabilitation and mental health support systems.
As Punjab Police continues its post-operation mop-up and interrogations, the state now stands at a critical juncture. This major seizure has not just dealt a body blow to one network, but it has also exposed the evolving nature of drug smuggling—where international handlers, encrypted tech, and local enablers form an ominous triangle. It is a reminder that Punjab’s fight against narcotics is as much about intelligence and diplomacy as it is about patrolling the border.
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