AMRITSAR, June 30 — Punjab Police, in coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF) and Rajasthan Police, has busted an international drug smuggling syndicate operating from Pakistan and Canada, seizing over 60 kg of heroin near the Indo-Pak border.
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav announced the operation on social media platform ‘X’, calling it a major blow to the transnational narco-terror network threatening the region.
“A joint intelligence-based operation has led to the seizure of 60.302 kg heroin in Barmer, Rajasthan. The drugs were being pushed in from Pakistan and routed through Punjab, Haryana, and Jammu & Kashmir,” the DGP said.
The syndicate, according to officials, was being run by Tanveer Shah, operating from Pakistan, and Joban Kaler, based in Canada, who remotely coordinated supply chains and hawala transactions.
Investigators revealed that the gang used drones and other covert methods to smuggle heroin across the border. Joban Kaler reportedly oversaw financial transactions through a hawala network, ensuring the steady flow of money from international clients to local handlers.
The bust led to the arrest of nine key operatives, including hawala handlers and main couriers, all of whom were involved in transporting drugs and laundering money within India.
“This operation marks a major step in our mission to free Punjab from drugs and dismantle every node of narco-terrorism,” said a senior police official. “The coordination with national and international agencies has been crucial.”
Police said that advanced digital surveillance, including drone movement tracking and call interceptions, helped crack the network and identify the smugglers’ exact routes and modus operandi.
The heroin seized has an international market value running into hundreds of crores, highlighting the scale and reach of the operation. Authorities say investigations are ongoing, with more arrests expected in the coming days as agencies dig deeper into the cartel’s links across borders.
Officials reiterated that the crackdown sends a clear message: no element of the international drug network will be spared, regardless of where they operate from.
