Chandigarh, March 25: In a major breakthrough against drug trafficking networks in Punjab, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Chandigarh Zonal Unit, has secured the preventive detention of notorious offender Sandeep Singh alias Chatha under the PITNDPS Act, marking a significant step in India’s anti-narcotics crackdown.
Sandeep Singh, a resident of Rasulpur Rohi in Amritsar, has been involved in at least seven criminal cases since 2013, including multiple cases under the NDPS Act. Despite repeated arrests, officials said he continued to expand his illegal drug network, including cross-border trafficking operations. “He is a habitual offender who remained actively involved in large-scale narcotics trafficking. Preventive detention was necessary to stop further illegal activities,” an NCB official said.
The NCB Chandigarh crackdown gained momentum in 2022 when the accused was arrested in a major case (NCB Crime No. 79/2022). During the operation, officials dismantled two illegal drug laboratories and seized massive quantities of narcotics, including 40 kg of heroin, 0.557 kg of opium, and 23.645 kg of caffeine. Authorities also recovered 31 live cartridges and one magazine, while arresting 22 members of the drug syndicate.
Financial investigations further exposed the scale of the operation, with assets worth Rs 58.6 crore frozen, including properties linked to the accused. “The financial trail clearly indicated the vast illegal proceeds generated through drug trafficking,” the official added, highlighting the economic dimension of the network.
Further investigations revealed links between Sandeep Singh and Jagdeep Singh, another notorious figure involved in supplying arms and narcotics across Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Delhi, and Haryana, pointing to an extensive interstate and cross-border syndicate.
To curb his activities, the NCB initiated action under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act in September 2025. Following due process, Sandeep Singh was detained on January 7, 2026. The detention was later upheld by the Central Advisory Board in New Delhi on March 16, 2026, and subsequently confirmed by the Central Government on March 24, 2026, ordering his preventive detention for one year.
The NCB anti-drug operation underscores the agency’s continued focus on dismantling organized drug syndicates and strengthening drug law enforcement in India. Officials reiterated their commitment to taking strict action against those involved in narcotics trafficking and protecting society from the growing threat of drug abuse.
