In a significant breakthrough in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking, Punjab Police have arrested a key figure involved in retrieving and distributing narcotics dropped by drones crossing the border from Pakistan. The arrest was made by the Amritsar Commissionerate Police as part of the "Yudh Nashian Virudh" campaign, initiated under the directives of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
The arrested individual, identified as Rajpal Singh, 25, a resident of Majid Building in Chheharta, Amritsar, has a criminal history, with prior cases registered against him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Arms Act.
According to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, preliminary investigations reveal that Rajpal Singh was part of a cross-border network linked to a Pakistan-based handler, using the Dera Baba Nanak sector to collect drug consignments dropped by drones. Police recovered 5.025 kg of heroin from his possession.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Amritsar, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, shared operational details, stating that Rajpal Singh's involvement surfaced during follow-up investigations into a case where a drug peddler named Lucky was arrested with 3 kg of heroin in August 2025. This led to Rajpal Singh's nomination in the FIR. Subsequently, police arrested Rajpal Singh on October 19, leading to the recovery of the additional heroin.
The CP further added that Rajpal Singh concealed the drug consignments in bags filled with clothes and transported them via buses to various bus stands, including those in Jalandhar and Ludhiana, for safe delivery.
Authorities have registered a case, FIR No. 151 dated 07-08-2025, under sections 21-B, 21-C, 27-A, and 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Chheharta in Amritsar. Further investigations are underway to establish forward and backward linkages in this case to expose the full nexus. More arrests and recoveries are expected in the coming days.
DGP Yadav has reaffirmed the Punjab Police's commitment to eliminating drug trafficking and ensuring a drug-free state, aligning with the Chief Minister's vision. Several initiatives, including increased vigilance and intelligence-led operations, have been launched to tackle the menace of cross-border drug smuggling. Recent operations have seen the seizure of large quantities of heroin, the dismantling of smuggling networks, and the arrest of key individuals involved in the trade. The use of drones in cross-border drug smuggling has become a growing concern, with smugglers using technology to evade traditional security measures.
