Punjab Police Bust ISI-Linked Arms and Drug Smuggling Network, 5 Arrested

Amritsar Rural Police on Sunday broke up a cross-border arms and drug smuggling group supported by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI. In this major operation, five main suspects were arrested, according to an official statement. During the raid, police recovered a rifle, 90 live AK cartridges, ten 9 mm bullets, ₹7.50 lakh in suspected drug money, one car, and three mobile phones.

DGP Confirms Link to Pakistan-Based Handlers

Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav posted on X (formerly Twitter), “This is a big success. Amritsar Rural Police, along with central agencies, have taken down a major arms and drug smuggling ring that was being controlled by ISI-backed people in Pakistan.”

He added that five important people were arrested. The items seized include one AK Saiga 308 assault rifle with two magazines, two Glock 9mm pistols with four magazines, 90 AK bullets, ten 9mm bullets, ₹7.50 lakh in cash, a vehicle, and three phones. The people who were arrested include Jobanjit Singh (also known as Joban) and Gora Singh from Rangharh village; Shenshan (also called Shalu) and Sunny Singh (nicknamed Ganna) from Rasulpur Kallar in Amritsar; and Jaspreet Singh (also known as Motu) from Mugal Mangri in Rupnagar district.

The police said the recovered weapons and cash were supposed to be handed over to someone connected to gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria.

Gangster-Terror Nexus Under Probe

DGP Yadav also mentioned that early investigation shows the suspects were directly in touch with ISI operatives based in Pakistan. The items seized were meant for delivery to someone known as Nav from Nav Pandori, a close associate of gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria. This points to a larger link between terror groups and gangsters. Just a day earlier, on Saturday, Amritsar Police had arrested four drug peddlers and found 6.106 kg of heroin with them.

According to Amritsar Police, Sarabjeet Joban is believed to be the main person behind this smuggling network. He is said to have strong links to a known drug trafficker in Pakistan named Rana. “We have caught four key smugglers and seized over 6 kg of heroin from them. Sarabjeet Joban has been identified as the leader. He had been secretly dropping drug packets at different hidden places inside India for a long time,” said Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar during a press briefing.