Police launch drive to nab drug lord’s sibling in heroin seizure case

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, March 27

A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team along with the city police launched a manhunt to arrest Harpreet Singh, brother of international drug smuggler Gurpreet Singh alias Gopa, whose associates were arrested by the city police with 4 kg heroin and Rs 3 lakh of drug money yesterday.

Harpreet Singh was also wanted by the NIA in connection with the infamous drug haul of 532 kg from the integrated check-post at Attari in 2019.

Gopa’s father Jasbir Singh was also booked in the case of seizure by the NIA and was currently out on bail while Harpreet had been evading arrest for the past four years.

Yesterday, the police had nabbed Akashdeep Singh alias Akash and Kuljit Singh alias Gora, both residents of Sarai Amanat Khan in Tarn Taran district. Both were relatives of Gopa and had been in the illegal trade of cross-border drug peddling for over six months, the investigations revealed.

Dr Darpan Ahluwalia, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, who is supervising the probe, said that the duo were produced in court and brought on three-day police remand for further investigations. She said their forward links were being established.

“They were working as courier at least for over six months and have links with Pakistan-based drug peddlers through Gopa. We are investigating as to whom they used to deliver the contraband after picking it up from across the international border through drones in Tarn Taran belt,” she said.

Two were held with the contraband

Yesterday, the police had nabbed Akashdeep Singh alias Akash and Kuljit Singh alias Gora, both residents of Sarai Amanat Khan in Tarn Taran district. Both were relatives of Gopa and had been in the illegal trade of cross-border drug peddling for over six months, the investigations revealed.