Khalistani terrorist Arsh Dala leads opium for weapons smuggling racket into Canada via Delhi

Crime branch investigation into a recent drug trafficking racket revealed a barter system wherein opium was smuggled into Canada to purchase weapons, reports TOI.

The network was led by designated Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dala, who succeeded the now dead terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Special CP (crime) HGS Dhaliwal said the proceeds of the smuggling operation were used to finance the activities of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), which was currently headed by Dala.


Cross-border drone drops were used to smuggle-in weapons across the Punjab border in exchange for the opium transported by a courier firm in Delhi.

"The syndicate had been sending opium concealed in food consignments and garments using forged KYC documents and encrypted communication," Dhaliwal added. The revelations were made after the cops arrested four drug traffickers in a month-long operation and seized over 5,800 grams of the contraband. The suspects have revealed that the opium fetched them a much higher value in Canada compared to India and thus became their choice of contraband.

A team of ACP Bhagwati Prasad and inspector Arvind Kumar raided the office of a courier company in west Delhi's Moti Nagar. "This is where the suspicious export parcel was identified and intercepted before its dispatch abroad. On examination, the parcel, which had been declared as containing ordinary food articles, was found to have a fabricated false bottom containing around 3 kg of opium," joint CP (crime) Surender Kumar told TOI.

The police identified the people involved in booking and dispatching the parcel after tracing the courier chain.

Authorities nabbed key conspirators and intercepted additional export consignments. They were identified as Simranjeet Singh, Hardeep Singh, Yadvinder Singh alias Jashan Sandhu and Jivan Singh.

The probe also recovered 921 grams of opium from another parcel destined for Canada, an additional 1,196 grams of opium from a third export consignment and 23 grams of opium from Simranjeet Singh.

Forensic analysis of captured mobile phones and their encrypted communications unraveled the existence of an organised smuggling operation. The authorities have put increased pressure on Dala and his associates, more arrests are to be expected.