Punjab Police Busts Major Cross-Border Drug Smuggling Network
Punjab Police has busted a big cross-border drug smuggling racket linked to Pakistan-based ISI. The network was being operated by a UK-based drug handler named Lalli. The police have arrested Amarjot Singh Jota Sandhu, an Indian-based operative, and recovered 85 kg of heroin from his possession.
According to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, Amarjot is a resident of Village Bhittewad in Amritsar Rural. He was receiving drug consignments from across the border and supplying them across Punjab. His house was being used as a major storage point for the drug network.
An FIR has been registered in the case and investigations are going on. Police are now trying to trace the backward and forward links of this smuggling racket. DGP Yadav said more arrests and drug recoveries are expected soon. He also added that Punjab Police is fully committed to making Punjab drug-free.
In the biggest drug seizure of 2025, @TarnTaranPolice busts a cross-border, #ISI-controlled-#Pakistan based narco-smuggling module operated by #UK-based drug handler Lalli and arrests his #India-based operative, Amarjot Singh @ Jota Sandhu, resident of Vill. Bhittewad, Amritsar… pic.twitter.com/ShQpfhBqlF
— DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) May 16, 2025
‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ – Ongoing Anti-Drug Campaign
This action is part of the ongoing ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ (War Against Drugs) campaign, which started two and a half months ago. On Thursday, Punjab Police carried out a large cordon and search operation at bus terminals across all 28 districts in the state.
Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla said that the operation was held under the instructions of DGP Gaurav Yadav. Senior police officers, including Police Commissioners and SSPs, were asked to ensure proper deployment of force. The raids were supervised by SP-rank officers.
During this drive, police checked suspicious individuals at various bus stands. At the same time, anti-drug raids were also carried out at 486 different places across Punjab. These efforts led to the arrest of 124 suspected drug smugglers and registration of 83 FIRs on Thursday alone.
So far, in the 75-day campaign, Punjab Police has arrested a total of 11,208 alleged drug smugglers. In Thursday’s operation, police seized 4.02 kg of heroin, 2.5 kg of opium, and ₹27,090 in cash suspected to be linked to drug trade.
More than 200 police teams with over 1,200 officers, including 87 gazetted officers, were involved in this statewide operation. They checked 481 suspicious people during the raids.
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