Amritsar, May 20: In a major crackdown on international drug trafficking, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police has busted a Dubai-linked drug cartel and arrested two accused with 10 kg of ICE (Methamphetamine) and 4 kg of heroin in Amritsar, Punjab Police said on Wednesday.
The arrested accused have been identified as Mohit alias Bachi (19), a resident of Jalandhar, and Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh alias Harman (23), a resident of Kot Khalsa in Amritsar.
According to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, preliminary investigation revealed that both accused were in contact with a Dubai-based drug smuggler operating from Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The duo was allegedly working under his directions to smuggle and distribute narcotics in Punjab and Delhi.
The DGP said Mohit had recently returned from Dubai, where he was allegedly trained for transporting heroin and ICE consignments. Police investigations found that the accused were supplying drugs in the Majha and Doaba regions of Punjab.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Amritsar Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the arrests were made during a well-planned operation based on specific intelligence inputs. Police teams intercepted the two accused while they were riding a motorcycle and recovered the narcotics during a search operation.
During interrogation, Mohit reportedly disclosed that the Dubai-based smuggler was targeting young labour-class individuals and motivating them to join drug trafficking activities. Police also found that Arshdeep was already involved in drug smuggling and was storing heroin consignments received through unidentified persons before handing them over for further distribution.
Police officials said this is not the first case linked to the same Dubai-based network. In February 2026, two associates of the same smuggler — Sahibpreet Singh alias Sahib and Gagandeep Singh alias Gagan — were arrested with 7.6 kg heroin and drug money worth Rs 21,000.
Officials further revealed that the mother and sister of the Dubai-based smuggler are currently lodged in Central Jail Amritsar in connection with an NDPS Act case involving the recovery of 42 kg heroin.
Further investigation is underway to identify backward and forward linkages of the cartel and trace other members of the network, police said.
A case under FIR No. 107 dated May 18, 2026, has been registered under Sections 21-C and 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Chheharta in Amritsar.