65kg Heroin Seized in Amritsar as Cross-Border Smuggling Module Busted

Two arrests and major drug haul expose alleged international network linked to Pakistan-based handlers and historic Attari seizure case

Punjab: Police have busted a suspected cross-border narcotics network with the seizure of nearly 65kg of heroin in Amritsar and the arrest of two alleged operatives, marking a major development in the state’s ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking.

The operation, carried out near Mahal village in Amritsar, led to the recovery of 64.62kg of heroin and the detention of two local suspects believed to be linked to a wider international smuggling syndicate. Police said the action was conducted jointly by the State Special Operations Cell and the counter-intelligence wing.

According to senior police officials, preliminary findings indicate the module had alleged links to handlers based in Pakistan and coordinators operating from Portugal, suggesting the network may have functioned across multiple jurisdictions. Investigators are now probing both domestic and overseas connections tied to the seized consignment.

Authorities have also indicated suspected links between the busted network and a notorious gang previously associated with the record 532kg heroin seizure at Attari in 2019, a case that remains one of the largest drug interceptions in Indian customs history.

The latest seizure is being seen as a significant boost to Punjab’s anti-drug campaign, particularly amid growing concern over increasingly sophisticated trafficking methods. Security agencies have been tracking evolving smuggling tactics, including the use of drones and foreign-based facilitators to move narcotics across the border while evading conventional surveillance systems.

An FIR has been registered and investigators are now working to trace the broader supply chain, including distributors, financiers and other individuals who may be linked to the operation.

The case comes against the backdrop of a sharp rise in narcotics interceptions along the Punjab border this year, with law enforcement agencies already reporting substantial heroin recoveries in the first months of 2026. The latest haul adds to concerns over the scale of cross-border trafficking and the persistence of organised drug networks operating in the region.