Punjab Police bust international narco-hawala network; constable among two arrested with Rs 46.91 lakh
PTC Web Desk: In a major breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking in Punjab, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police have dismantled an international narco-hawala network with the arrest of a serving police constable, Navjot Singh, currently posted in Ludhiana, and his aide Harmeet, a resident of Sadar, Amritsar.
According to Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, the arrests were made during a follow-up investigation into a significant heroin seizure from Anil Saini, a resident of Bhiwani, Haryana, who was recently residing in Gurugram. The seizure was made by Chheharta police station, and further links led to the arrest of the two suspects involved in facilitating drug trafficking through hawala transactions.
Preliminary investigations reveal that the hawala network was being operated from abroad. The arrested constable and his aide were reportedly in contact with notorious drug trafficker Joban Kaler, based in the United States, and gangster Gopi Chogawan from rural Amritsar. Both are suspected of managing an extensive international narcotics and funding network, with key operatives active within Punjab.
During the arrest, the police recovered Rs 46.91 lakh in cash, believed to have been funneled into India through hawala channels from Dubai. Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav confirmed the recovery and stated that the funds were intended for drug procurement and network operations.
A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Chheharta Police Station. The authorities are currently working on mapping both backward and forward linkages of the network. Officials said financial trails are being traced meticulously to expose the entire ecosystem supporting drug trafficking.
- PTC NEWS
