Guwahati: Assam Police’s Special Task Force (STF) on Friday arrested a 38-year-old man from Punjab and seized 10.48 kg of suspected heroin in a recovery that officials estimate to be worth around ₹80 crore.
Raid in Six Mile; consignment said to have come from Manipur
Acting on specific intelligence, the STF conducted a raid at a rented apartment in the Six Mile area of the city and apprehended Hardeep Singh, a resident of Ludhiana, the police said. According to Additional SP Kalyan Kumar Pathak, the consignment had arrived in Guwahati from Manipur and was destined for Punjab.
"He was staying at the rented apartment to receive the narcotics consignment and would leave for Punjab with it. He was in the city for the last three days," Additional SP Kalyan Kumar Pathak said, according to the police statement.
Along with the suspected narcotics, the STF recovered an SUV, mobile phones, documents and other articles that police say are linked to the alleged trafficking operation. A case has been registered at the STF police station under relevant provisions of law, and investigators are examining the seized materials to identify additional persons involved and to map the transportation and distribution network.
Context: successive busts in the city
The seizure follows another high-value recovery two days earlier, when Garchuk police detained two men at the city’s ISBT bus terminal. In that operation, which officials say also involved consignments from Manipur, officers seized suspected heroin valued at around ₹40 crore. The arrested persons were identified as Abdul Qadir and Sariful Islam, residents of Goalpara, according to police reports.
- Recovered suspected heroin in this case: 10.48 kg
- Estimated value: ~₹80 crore
- Arrested: Hardeep Singh (38), Ludhiana
- Seizure location: rented apartment, Six Mile, Guwahati
- Items seized: SUV, mobile phones, documents and other articles
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Quantity (suspected) | 10.48 kg |
| Estimated value | ~₹80 crore |
| Arrested person | Hardeep Singh, 38, Ludhiana |
| Recovery site | Rented apartment, Six Mile, Guwahati |
| Other items | SUV, mobile phones, documents |
Investigation and regional implications
Police said forensic examination and chemical tests will establish the exact nature of the seized substance and its purity. The STF is probing how the consignment reached Guwahati and the chain planned to move it to Punjab. Investigators will examine call records, movement data from the seized mobile phones and documentation recovered during the raid to identify collaborators and logistic links.
Guwahati, as the largest urban centre in Assam and a major transport hub in the north-east, has in recent years become a focal point for anti-narcotics operations. Authorities often report interceptions involving consignments routed through the region, underscoring persistent challenges in curbing trafficking that spans state borders.
The arrests and seizures in quick succession point to intensified enforcement activity by local police and the STF. Officials say these operations aim both to disrupt supply chains and to identify organised networks that exploit inter-state routes and urban transit points.
As inquiries continue, police urged citizens to cooperate with investigations and report suspicious movements or consignments. The STF also indicated further operations may follow as leads from the current probe are pursued.
Note: Details published here reflect the information released by Assam Police and the STF; further developments and laboratory confirmations may revise the official assessment.
