In the biggest drug seizure of 2025, amid the ongoing anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian De Virudh’ launched under the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Tarn Taran Police has busted a cross-border narco-smuggling module controlled by Pakistan’s ISI and operated by a UK-based drug handler named Lalli. The police arrested Lalli’s India-based operative and recovered 85 kg of heroin from his possession, said Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Gaurav Yadav on Friday.

The arrested operative, identified as Amarjot Singh alias Jota Sandhu, had been using his residence in village Bhittewad, Amritsar, as a major stash point for the drug network.

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DGP Gaurav Yadav stated that the accused, Amarjot, was acting on the instructions of his UK-based handler, Lalli, and was receiving heroin consignments from cross-border smugglers using drones to transport the contraband. Investigations have revealed that Amarjot collected heroin from various border points and distributed it to local suppliers for further delivery across different areas of Punjab.

The DGP added that further investigations are underway to establish backward and forward linkages in this case, and more arrests and recoveries are expected in the coming days.

Sharing details of the operation, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tarn Taran, Abhimanyu Rana, said that acting on reliable information, a police team from the CIA Staff, under the supervision of DSP (D) Gurinderpal Singh Nagra, conducted a targeted operation. They apprehended the accused, Amarjot Singh alias Jota Sandhu, near Chabal Road in Tarn Taran and recovered 5 kg of heroin from his Activa scooter.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed that he had concealed two consignments of 40 kg each — one at Rakh Sarai Amanat Khan and another inside a washing machine at his residence in village Bhittewad. Police teams were immediately dispatched to both locations and successfully recovered the heroin, bringing the total seizure to 85 kg.

The SSP said that efforts are ongoing to uncover the entire network of suppliers, dealers, buyers, and hawala handlers to determine the total quantity of drugs received by the arrested accused so far. A case has been registered under FIR No. 118 dated May 15, 2025, under Sections 21(c) and 25 of the NDPS Act at Tarn Taran City Police Station.