Punjab anti-drone cop arrested for abetting 24 drug smuggling operations

A Punjab Police constable posted with the state's anti-drone unit has been arrested on charges of abetting drug smuggling operations, according to law enforcement sources. The officer, identified as Karandeep, allegedly facilitated at least 24 successful heroin deliveries for trafficking networks operating in the region. Authorities say he exploited his position within the anti-drone unit to provide advance information about security operations and checkpoints, enabling smugglers to move contraband undetected. During interrogation, Karandeep revealed that his history of heroin addiction had made him an easy target for recruitment by the trafficking networks. The criminal syndicates reportedly leveraged his substance abuse vulnerability to coerce his cooperation and maintain operational secrecy. The arrest marks a significant breach within Punjab's counter-narcotics infrastructure and has prompted a wider security audit of the state police's anti-drug operations. Investigators are examining whether other personnel may have been similarly compromised by trafficking organizations.