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Punjab: Four arrested as 9.925 kg heroin recovered; arms module busted in Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur police busted an inter-state narcotics and illegal arms module, arresting four persons and recovering 9.925 kg of heroin, two pistols, and 40 cartridges. An FIR was registered under NDPS Act and Arms Act at Garhshankar police station. Police said the module was directed by foreign-based gangsters and acted as their local handlers, with investigations underway to dismantle the network.
Why It Matters
The operation points to cross-border drug trafficking networks and illegal weapons supply in the region, with the potential for further arrests as investigations progress.
Timeline
1 Event
April 20, 2026: Hoshiarpur police bust narcotics and illegal arms module; four arrested
April 20, 2026
On April 20, 2026, following reliable input, Hoshiarpur police set up a nakabandi in the Garhshankar area. A suspicious car was intercepted, leading to the arrest of four accused: Manjinder Singh alias Sonu (Pathralian, Hoshiarpur), Shivam Bhandari (Dhina, Jalandhar), Sahil Masih alias Monu (Pakhoke Tahli, Gurdaspur), and Ramel Roger (Garhshankar, Hoshiarpur). A consignment including 9.925 kg of heroin, two pistols, and 40 cartridges was recovered from the vehicle. An FIR was registered under Sections 21 and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Section 25 of the Arms Act at Garhshankar police station. DGP Gaurav Yadav said the inter-state module was working on directions of foreign-based gangsters and acted as their local handlers, facilitating drug trafficking and the supply of illegal weapons in the region. Preliminary investigations were said to be aimed at mapping forward and backward linkages to dismantle the entire network. Hoshiarpur SSP Sandeep Kumar Malik added that the operation followed a reliable input, and that Sahil Masih is a habitual offender who had fired at a police party in Batala district; more arrests and recoveries are likely as the investigation progresses.