Punjab Police arrests FBI-wanted drug dealer

The drug trafficker, Shehnaz Singh, was arrested by Tarn Taran Police, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said in a post on X.

Chandigarh: Punjab Police has arrested an international drug dealer who was wanted by the FBI and was a key player in a global narcotics syndicate, an official said on Monday.

The drug trafficker, Shehnaz Singh, was arrested by Tarn Taran Police, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav informed in a post on 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," Yadav posted on X.

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.