| Heroin worth Rs. 420 crore seized in Rajasthan; Pak-based smuggler, Canada handler named | | |  Atul Sharma
Early Times Report
Jammu, June 30: In a major breakthrough in the fight against narco-terrorism, Punjab Police, in collaboration with Rajasthan Police and the Border Security Force (BSF), uncovered what is being described as one of the largest-ever heroin recoveries from the India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan’s Barmer district.
A total of 60.3 kilograms of heroin, valued at approximately ₹420 crore in the international market, was seized in the operation on Mo nday.
Nine individuals involved in a transnational drug syndicate have been arrested. The accused hail from Punjab, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, and Haryana, underlining the widespread domestic network of the smuggling ring.
The narcotics, believed to have been smuggled into India from Pakistan, were intended for distribution across multiple Indian states, officials said.
The operation, led by the Amritsar Commissionerate Police, was carried out after coordinated intelligence-sharing and surveillance between central and state agencies. The Punjab Police revealed that the international drug cartel was being operated by Pakistan-based smuggler Tanveer Shah and Canada-based handler Joban Kaler.
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav confirmed the arrests and the massive seizure on social media platform X (formerly Twitter):
"In a massive crackdown, #Amritsar Commissionerate Police, with the support of #BSF and #Rajasthan Police, dismantles a major international drug cartel operated by #Pak-based smuggler Tanveer Shah and #Canada based handler Joban Kaler and recovers a huge consignment of 60.302 Kg Heroin from near the International Border in Barmer, Rajasthan."
He added that the operation also led to the arrest of hawala operators who were allegedly facilitating the flow of drug money across borders through illegal financial channels.
“Nine key operatives and hawala operators arrested from across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Jammu and Kashmir. @PunjabPoliceInd remains resolute in its commitment to dismantle international drug syndicates and protect Punjab from narco-terror,” Yadav stated.
The police are now tracing the forward and backward linkages of the drug network to unearth the full extent of the smuggling operations and identify others involved. Officials said the probe aims to map both the source of the heroin in Pakistan and its intended distribution points within India.
While the Punjab Police and BSF have confirmed the operation and arrests, the Barmer Police have yet to officially confirm the seizure.
This massive recovery comes amid increasing concerns over the use of Punjab and Rajasthan’s border areas as drug transit corridors, often exploited by Pakistan-based handlers using drones, underground couriers, and local facilitators.
Authorities believe this successful bust will significantly disrupt the network’s supply chain and send a strong message to transnational drug syndicates operating in the region. |
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