CHANDIGARH, August 10: In a major breakthrough amidst the ongoing drive against drugs launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Police in a joint operation with central agencies has apprehended an International drug smuggler identified as Simranjot Singh Sandhu (30), who is a kingpin of 487Kg cocaine smuggling case (2020) in Germany, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

Moga Police nominated a Mandeep Singh

Following the arrest of local drug smugglers Beant Singh and Sukhdeep Singh, who were caught with 1kg of heroin on June 16, 2024, the Moga Police meticulously investigated the backward and forward linkages. Based on their statements, the police nominated Mandeep Singh—currently based in the USA—and Simranjot Singh, who was allegedly searching for heroin buyers in Punjab under Mandeep Singh’s directions.

International drug smuggler : Arrested accused played key role in  smuggling : DGP

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that the accused Simranjot Sandhu is a key lynchpin of an international drug cartel and that Germany wants him for drug offences. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the arrested accused, with international links, played a major role in smuggling drugs in India and other European countries, he added.

  Inspector General of Police (IGP) Headquarters Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill accompanied by DIG Faridkot Range Ashwani Kapur and SSP Moga Dr Ankur Gupta, while sharing more details during a press conference, said that during the follow-up investigations into the 1kg heroin recovery case, Moga Police has arrested accused Simranjot Sandhu, a native of village Gokhuwal in Batala,  from village Bhaloor in Moga.

Simranjot, who went to Germany in 2002

He said that the accused Simranjot, who went to Germany in 2002 and worked as a taxi driver, stored and transported at least 487 kg of cocaine, 66 kg of marijuana, and 10 kg of hashish between March and June 2020. The drugs, supplied from Brazil and other South American countries, arrived at the port of Hamburg, Germany.

He also mentioned that the accused used an encrypted mobile app, ‘Encrochat,’ to communicate, through which the German police uncovered the drug network.

International drug smuggler Convicted in germany

Germany courts convicted the accused for 8 years and 6 months under section 29 of the Narcotic Drugs Act on February 28, 2022. However, he fled to Dubai in July 2023 before completing his sentence and then returned to India in September 2023.

   The IGP said that since 11 months, accused Simranjot has been staying at various places in India including Amritsar, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Moga, etc to elude arrest.

He is conducting a detailed interrogation of the arrested accused to verify his activities in India.

The police have already registered a case (FIR No. 16-6-2024) under Section 21 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Ajitwal in Moga.