Punjab Police crackdown on drugs in Kapurthala results in 8 arrests and a massive 80 kg substance seizure. Meanwhile, key gangster Amrit Dalam was extradited from Moldova, a first for Punjab Police from a European country.

Kapurthala Drug Crackdown

The Punjab government is continuing its crackdown on drugs, with targeted raids being conducted across all subdivisions of Kapurthala, particularly in drug-affected villages and neighbourhoods, SSP Gaurav Tura said on Saturday. Speaking to ANI, Tura said, “So far, around eight drug peddlers have been arrested, with narcotics and several stolen motorcycles recovered. Suspects with previous criminal records are also being questioned. In one house, more than 70-80 kg of illegal substance was recovered, and further investigation is underway.”

Kapurthala Police conducted a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in drug-affected hotspots and other sensitive areas of the district. During the operation, police carried out thorough checks of suspicious individuals, vehicles and locations as part of measures to effectively curb drug trafficking. Further investigation is underway.

Gangster Amrit Dalam Extradited from Moldova

Meanwhile, Punjab Police has secured the extradition of fugitive criminal Amrit Dalam alias Amritpal Singh, a key operative linked to the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang, from Moldova, marking its first-ever extradition from a European country, the state police said. According to Punjab Police, Dalam had fled India in October 2024 using a forged passport. After a six-month-long intelligence-led international manhunt under ‘Operation Eastern Reach’, he was detained in Moldova and taken into custody by a four-member Punjab Police team on September 11. Police said Dalam faces 21 criminal cases, including those related to murder, attempt to murder, the Arms Act, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and extortion.

Punjab Police DGP said in a post on X that the extradition was a “major breakthrough against transnational organised crime” and described it as a significant milestone in the fight against organised crime. The DGP said the operation was made possible through sustained surveillance and close coordination between the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Punjab and Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell (OFTEC) Punjab, along with central agencies and international partners. He commended the AGTF and OFTEC teams for their efforts and thanked the Moldovan and Azerbaijani authorities, IPCU-CBI, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs and other central agencies involved in the international cooperation.

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