Narco-hawala cartel linked to Bhullar busted

AMRITSAR: With the seizure of 1.10 kg of heroin and Rs 1.06 crore of suspected hawala proceeds, and arrest of three persons, the Punjab police on Monday claimed to have busted a narco-hawala racket allegedly operated by Turkiye-based drug smuggler Navpreet Singh 'Nav Bhullar'.

Amritsar police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said Gurdeep Singh (35), a taxi driver from Amritsar; Pardeep Sharma (29), a garment shop employee from Bikaner in Rajasthan; and Mani Sharma (36), a garment businessman from Ludhiana had been arrested.

The police operation also yielded 1.10 kg of heroin, Rs 1.06 crore of suspected hawala proceeds - including Rs 84.02 lakh in cash and Rs 22 lakh in bank accounts - a cash-counting machine and a vehicle used by the racketeers.

Preliminary investigations indicate Gurdeep Singh was managing the drug and hawala network on instructions from Bhullar, who allegedly arranged for a safe house in Amritsar and provided the gang with logistical support.

Bhullar is wanted by multiple state and central agencies in major drug and hawala cases.