The arrest comes days after the US authorities nabbed four of Shehnaz Singh’s associates on February 26. In that operation, a massive haul of 391 kg of methamphetamine, 109 kg of cocaine, and four firearms were seized from their residences and vehicles, as per police.
In a major breakthrough, the Punjab Police has arrested an international drug trafficker wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and linked to a global narcotics syndicate. As per the police, the drug dealer has been identified as Shehnaz Singh alias Shawn Bhinder. The arrest was carried out by Tarn Taran Police, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav announced on Monday via a post on the social media platform X.
“In a major breakthrough, @TarnTaranPolice arrests Big Fish Shehnaz Singh @ Shawn Bhinder, a transnational drug lord wanted by the #FBI-#USA. He was a key player in a global narcotics syndicate, smuggling cocaine from #Colombia into the #USA and #Canada (sic),” Yadav posted on X.
Arrest follows massive US drug seizure
He further said that this operation followed the arrest of four of his associates in the US on February 26. In that arrest, the USA authorities seized 391 kg methamphetamine, 109 kg cocaine and four firearms from their residences and vehicles, the DGP said. After the crackdown, Shehnaz absconded to India, where the police tracked and arrested him, he said.
The development comes amid the Punjab government’s ongoing ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ (war against drugs) campaign, launched on February 25. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann recently chaired a meeting of senior officials as part of the state government’s renewed push for its anti-drugs campaign, setting a deadline of three months to make the state drug-free.
Punjab’s anti-drugs campaign
Earlier on Sunday, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the Punjab government has registered 875 FIRs and arrested 1,188 drug traffickers in the last 12 days as part of a special campaign. The ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ (war against drugs) campaign was launched on February 25 and has yielded “extraordinary results”, the minister asserted.
Cheema, who is the state’s finance minister and chairman of the anti-drug campaign cabinet sub-committee, underscored the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s commitment to eradicating drugs from Punjab. According to the minister, 875 FIRs have been registered, 1,188 drug traffickers arrested, Rs 35 lakh in drug money seized and narcotics, including 68 kg of heroin, 873 kg of poppy husk, 42 kg of opium and over 6.74 lakh intoxicating tablets confiscated, till March 8.
(With PTI inputs)
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