Woman Poses as Police Officer to Run Drug Network, Punjab Police Bust Major Operation, 5.2 Kg Heroin Recovered

Shimla, March 23: In a major breakthrough for Punjab Police’s campaign against drugs, Amritsar Police have successfully dismantled a large drug network, arresting three individuals, including the woman kingpin who was running the operation while posing as a police officer. The operation has resulted in the recovery of 5.2 kilograms of heroin, a significant seizure that highlights the scale of the illegal drug trade operating in the region.

The arrested woman, identified as Mandeep Kaur, had been running a sophisticated drugs operation in collaboration with drug smugglers from across the Pakistan border. The police investigation revealed that Kaur used drones to smuggle drugs into India, further complicating the illicit operation. Her network operated primarily in the Chheharta area of Amritsar, where she and her associates coordinated the distribution of large quantities of heroin.

Amritsar Police Commissioner confirmed that Mandeep Kaur was the central figure in the network, which had been operating under the guise of legitimate law enforcement activities. Kaur’s ability to impersonate a police officer allowed her to establish a false sense of authority, enabling her to carry out illegal activities without suspicion. The police also revealed that one more member of the gang is still on the run, though their identity has been kept confidential as part of the ongoing investigation.

The arrest of Mandeep Kaur and her associates has been hailed as a significant victory in Punjab’s ongoing fight against drug trafficking. The police were able to intercept the drug consignment, which had been carefully concealed, and prevent it from reaching the streets of Punjab. The 5.2 kilograms of heroin recovered during this operation has a street value of several crores of rupees, highlighting the substantial impact the bust will have on curbing the supply of illegal drugs in the region.

Tackling the Drug Menace in Punjab

The Punjab government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is intensifying its efforts to tackle the growing drug menace in the state. In addition to the police crackdown, the state government is focusing on seizing the properties of drug smugglers and dismantling their hideouts. The recently reorganized Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) is playing a crucial role in these operations, with a strengthened mandate to target drug syndicates and their networks.

The bust of Mandeep Kaur’s drug network is part of a broader series of actions by Punjab Police to combat drug trafficking. On March 20, police in the state arrested five drug smugglers during another operation. The arrests followed an encounter and led to the recovery of illegal weapons, cash, and a significant amount of drugs. Additionally, the operation exposed a hawala network connected to Dubai, further unraveling the deep-rooted criminal infrastructure supporting drug smuggling into India.

During the March 20 operation, police arrested Iqbal Singh, a key figure in the hawala network. Investigators revealed that Singh had made financial transactions worth Rs 50 crore in the last three months alone. The police seized seven kilograms of opium, three pistols, Rs 23 lakh in cash, and a note-counting machine as part of the operation. The exposure of this hawala network has dealt a significant blow to the drug trafficking ecosystem operating in Punjab.

Stronger Measures Against Drug Smuggling

These coordinated operations reflect the government’s commitment to tackling the growing problem of drug addiction and trafficking in Punjab. Authorities are working to dismantle criminal networks, disrupt the flow of illicit drugs, and expose international links that facilitate drug smuggling. The recovery of heroin, along with the arrests of individuals involved in smuggling and hawala activities, is a major step in Punjab’s fight against the drug crisis.

The success of the Amritsar Police operation, coupled with the broader efforts of Punjab Police, has underscored the state’s determination to combat drug abuse and criminality head-on, and it sends a strong message to drug smugglers that law enforcement is cracking down with renewed vigor.