Inter-state drug racket busted, smuggler held

In a major breakthrough against inter-state drug trafficking, the Jalandhar (Rural) police have dismantled a sophisticated drug smuggling network by arresting a key operative allegedly managing a complex drug supply chain spanning multiple states.

The arrested accused has been identified as Amit Kumar Bhatti, alias Mita, originally from Bhuntar, Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, who was presently residing at House No. 208, Ward No. 11, Valmik Mohalla, under the Kadian police station, Gurdaspur.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh said the police successfully traced an intricate drug trafficking route connecting Moradabad (UP), Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. A special team from the CIA staff, under the supervision of SP (Investigation) Jasroop Kaur Bath and DSP Sarwanjit Singh and led by CIA staff in-charge Inspector Pushap Bali with support from the Bhogpur police station carried out the operation.

The team acted on specific intelligence regarding a drug transaction on the Bhogpur-Jalandhar main highway. During a surveillance operation near the Gardi Bakhsha village turn, the accused was intercepted while attempting to flee upon spotting the police. A suspicious envelope discarded by the accused was recovered from which 95 grams of brown sugar was recovered. A subsequent search led to the seizure of Rs 1 lakh drug money.

An FIR (No. 144) was registered on November 28, 2024, under Sections 21B, 27A, 61 if the BNS and Section 85 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Bhogpur police station, Jalandhar (Rural) district. Initial interrogation of the accused exposed a sophisticated drug trafficking route. The accused was systematically procuring brown sugar from Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh) and transporting it through Punjab to Himachal Pradesh where it was sold to foreign tourists at significantly inflated price. Investigations suggested a meticulously planned inter-state drug network involving complex logistical arrangements.

The drug route follows a strategic path starting from Moradabad (origin) goes through Punjab (transit) and ends at Himachal Pradesh (distribution market) with potential expansion into Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur.

The accused has a prior case registered under FIR No. 54, dated May 1, 2019, under Sections 21, 61, and 85 of the NDPS Act at the Maqsudan police Station. His criminal background is being verified from the Kullu police in Himachal Pradesh.

“The arrested accused will be produced in a local court. The police will seek remand of the accused to investigate his forward and backward links with drug trafficking network,” SSP Khakh said.