CHANDIGARH, March 24: In a major crackdown on narco-terrorism, Punjab Police’s Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), with support from central agencies, dismantled a Pakistan-backed drug and hawala network, arresting 11 people and recovering ₹5.09 crore in various foreign currencies.
“This is a significant strike against cross-border narco-terrorism,” said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Monday.
The accused include five drug smugglers, three hawala money couriers, and three hawala traders. Police also recovered 372 grams of gold and impounded four luxury vehicles—BMW, Mahindra Thar Automatic, Mahindra XUV 300, and Hyundai i10.
DGP Yadav identified the mastermind as Harbhaj Singh alias Bheja, who was operating the network from inside Central Jail Amritsar while in contact with Pakistani drug smuggler Shehbaz.
“Bheja was coordinating drug smuggling and hawala transactions from jail,” he said. Shehbaz, a resident of Narowal, Pakistan, had illegally entered India and was later deported in 2021.
The investigation began in January 2025, when police arrested two drug smugglers—Harjinder Singh alias Ajay and Harmanjit Singh alias Harry—with 263 grams of heroin and ₹5.6 lakh. Further arrests led police to the hawala money couriers—Saurav Mahajan, Tanush, and Harminder alias Harry—who were caught with ₹47.5 lakh and a Mahindra XUV 300.
On January 24, police arrested smugglers Sagar and Lavdeep Singh alias Lala with ₹5 lakh, an Activa scooter, and 160 grams of heroin. Bheja was brought on a production warrant from Central Jail Amritsar and formally arrested on January 26.
The network relied on hawala traders, including Ashok Kumar Sharma, owner of Sharma Forex Money Changer in Phagwara, and his accomplices Rajesh Kumar and Amit Bansal alias Sunil. “The accused used Sharma Forex to launder drug money on Shehbaz’s instructions,” Yadav said.
During the investigation, police seized additional hawala proceeds, including ₹1.45 crore in Indian currency, 2,63,630 euros, 7,000 US dollars, 10,020 Canadian dollars, 27,500 pounds, and 285 dirhams.
Police have identified illegal properties worth hundreds of crores linked to the network and initiated the process to freeze them under Section 68F of the NDPS Act. “The network spans Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Phagwara, and Panchkula,” Yadav said, adding that seven more suspects have been named and a manhunt is underway.
Sharing the outcomes of the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign, Yadav said police arrested 3,868 drug smugglers and registered 2,177 FIRs across Punjab since March 1, 2025. The campaign has led to the seizure of 135.5 kg heroin, 82.9 kg opium, 1,419 kg poppy husk, 34.24 kg ganja, 7.58 lakh intoxicant pills/injections, 1 kg ICE, and ₹5.42 crore in drug money.
