The accused were identified as Sukhwinder Singh alias Sukhi, Manpreet Singh and Jagdeep Singh. On Saturday, three men were arrested in Hoshiarpur for allegedly smuggling drugs. The accused were nabbed with heroin weighing 8 kilograms, which was smuggled from Pakistan

Hoshiarpur: An international drug consignment was seized by the police in Hoshiarpur on Saturday. As many as 8 kilograms of smuggled heroin was seized by the cops on the Mahilpur-Phagwara road near Hoshiarpur district’s Thuana village and three persons were nabbed as well.

The accused were identified as Sukhwinder Singh alias Sukhi, Manpreet Singh and Jagdeep Singh. Sukhi was a resident of Channanwal in Barnala district while Manpreet and Jagdeep hail from Balbera, Patiala. Reportedly, one of the accused has links with militant Daya Singh Lahoriya.

Eight Packets With Kilograms of Heroin Seized

According to senior superintendent of police (SSP) Navjot Singh Mahal, eight packets carrying 1 kilogram of heroin were recovered from a Toyota Fortuner SUV, Hindustan Times reported. The contraband was hidden inside a nook in the bumper of the SUV.

The SSP added that Sukhwinder Singh had several drug smuggling cases registered against him and was released on bail. He also had links with Lahoriya and Amrik Singh - a drug smuggler from Patiala.

Accused went to Pakistan as pilgrim, made contacts with smugglers

Mahal added, "It has emerged that Sukhi developed contact with Pakistan-based narcotics smugglers during his visit to the neighbouring country as a pilgrim and started illicit trade of heroin. In 2007, 4kg heroin and four pistols were recovered from him at Sandhwa Bet. " The cops said that the accused were questioned regarding their links with other criminals and gangsters.