ANTF Punjab busts international narcotics network with massive MDMA haul; Six held

Chandigarh : In a major blow to an organised international drug trafficking network, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of Punjab Police has busted an international narcotics network operating across the Tricity region and Ludhiana, with the arrest of six key operatives involved in the supply of highly potent, foreign-origin party drugs targeting urban youth, said DGP Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

Those arrested have been identified as Rishav, Mukesh Kumar, Lakhwinder Singh, Ravi Kumar, Baljinder Singh and Talwinder Singh. DGP stated that the scale of the seizure is unprecedented, marking one of the largest MDMA tablet recoveries in the country.

The seized contraband includes 1,215 MDMA tablets, 263 grams cocaine, 82 grams methamphetamine (ICE), 1.2 kg of various THC variants, 16 grams magic mushrooms, and 400 grams of opium, he said, while adding that drug proceeds amounting to ₹9 lakh were also recovered from the possession of the accused persons.

The DGP said that preliminary investigation has revealed that the syndicate sourced narcotics from abroad through air courier channels and used encrypted social media platforms to coordinate distribution and evade detection.Further investigation is underway to trace backward and forward linkages and identify other associates, he added.

Sharing operational details, AIG ANTF Ashwini Gotyal said that the action was initiated following specific human intelligence inputs indicating that a drug supplier, identified as Rishav, was operating from an apartment in Kharar and distributing narcotics within club and party circuits, primarily targeting youth in the Tricity area.

Acting swiftly on this information, police teams conducted a well-planned raid at the identified premises, leading to the arrest of suspect Rishav with 1215 MDMA tablets, 155 gram cocaine, 82 gram ICE, 10 variants of THC weighing 973 grams, 16 grams of magic mushrooms, 400 grams of opium and ₹3 lakh drug money from his possession.

The AIG said that further investigation uncovered a broader distribution module based in Ludhiana, which was functioning as a key supply and redistribution hub for the Tricity region. Subsequent coordinated raids resulted in the arrest of key operatives— Mukesh Kumar, Lakhwinder Singh, Ravi Kumar, Baljinder Singh and Talwinder Singh and 108 grams cocaine, 278 grams of THC, and ₹6 lakh in drug money was recovered from their possession, she said.

AIG Ashwini Gotyal said that several of the seized substances are recognised globally as highly potent and dangerous, and have been subject to public health advisories and enforcement warnings in their countries of origin owing to their severe psychological and physiological effects.In this regard, a case FIR No. 42, dated 27.02.2026 has been registered under sections 18, 20, 21, 22, 22 (C), 27 and 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station ANTF in SAS Nagar.