Punjab Police Bust Narco-Terror Hawala Network; 11 Arrested, Foreign Currency Worth ₹5.09 Crore Seized

• Mar 25, 2025

The Punjab Police’s Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF), in coordination with central agencies, has cracked down on a major narco-terror and hawala network, arresting 11 individuals and seizing foreign currencies worth ₹5.09 crore, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav announced on Monday.

Among the arrested are five drug smugglers, three hawala couriers, and three hawala traders. The network’s alleged mastermind, operating from inside Central Jail Amritsar, was found to be in direct contact with a Pakistani drug smuggler.

This operation comes under the Punjab Government’s ongoing anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian De Virudh’, aimed at dismantling drug and terror-linked financial networks in the state.

Arrested Individuals:

Drug Smugglers:

• Harjinder Singh alias Ajay (26), Amritsar

• Harmanjit Singh alias Harry (27), Amritsar

• Sagar (28), Amritsar

• Lavdeep Singh alias Lala (30), Batala

• Harbhaj Singh alias Bheja (30), Amritsar (currently lodged in Central Jail)

Hawala Money Couriers:

• Saurav alias Saurav Mahajan (24), Amritsar

• Tanush (28), Amritsar

• Harminder Singh alias Harry (28), Amritsar

Hawala Traders:

• Ashok Kumar Sharma (60), owner of Sharma Forex Money Changer, Phagwara

• Rajesh Kumar alias Bobby (50), Phagwara

• Amit Bansal alias Sunil (47), Phagwara

Timeline of the Investigation:

The breakthrough came after the January 21 arrest of Harjinder Singh and Harmanjit Singh, from whom 263g heroin and ₹5.60 lakh in drug proceeds were recovered. Subsequent interrogations led to the arrest of couriers Saurav, Tanush, and Harminder the next day, along with the seizure of ₹47.50 lakh and an SUV.

On January 24, smugglers Sagar and Lavdeep Singh were nabbed, yielding ₹5 lakh in cash, a scooter, and 160g heroin. The investigation then revealed the central role of Harbhaj Singh, who, despite being lodged in Central Jail Amritsar, was orchestrating drug operations in contact with a Pakistani smuggler named Shehbaz.

Pakistani Link:

Shehbaz, a resident of Burewal in Pakistan’s Narowal district, had previously been arrested in India in 2021 for illegal entry and was later deported. During his incarceration in Amritsar, he reportedly connected with Harbhaj Singh and Harmanjit, laying the foundation of the smuggling network.

Post-release, Shehbaz maintained communication through mobile phones and expanded the network, involving Harminder Singh and routing drug money via hawala through Phagwara-based forex agents.

Following technical leads, Ashok Sharma and his aides Sunil and Bobby were arrested on March 17 and 18. Police seized ₹50.50 lakh from Bobby and additional Indian currency amounting to ₹1.45 crore. Other seizures include:

• Foreign currencies:

  • 2,63,630 Euros

  • 7,000 US Dollars

  • 10,020 Canadian Dollars

  • 27,500 Pounds

  • 285 Dirhams

• Assets:

  • 372g of gold

  • Four vehicles, including an SUV

  • Properties worth crores identified for freezing under the NDPS Act

Ongoing Action:

DGP Yadav confirmed that the network spans across Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Phagwara, and Panchkula. Seven more individuals have been identified, and a manhunt is underway to arrest them.

“The operation is a significant blow to narco-terrorism and hawala financing in Punjab,” said DGP Yadav. “We are committed to dismantling such networks and will continue with zero tolerance.”