Dead drops in Punjab, godowns in MP: How Navpreet Singh's drug syndicate operated

Narco-trafficking kingpin Navpreet Singh, accused of running an international heroin syndicate, allegedly told investigators that drugs were delivered through dead drops -- buried at multiple locations in Punjab and stored in godowns in Madhya Pradesh -- according to the prosecution.

A Delhi court on Saturday remanded the 34-year-old to 10 days' custody of the Delhi Police Special Cell, which told the court it needed to recover the drugs, trace the syndicate's supply chain, and identify other people involved in the alleged trafficking network.

Navpreet, 34, was deported from Türkiye and arrested at Delhi airport on Saturday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced his deportation in a post on X, saying Singh had obtained Turkish citizenship using the false identity of Navab Virk.

The 2021 heroin case

Navpreet was produced before Special Judge, Narcotic Drugs And Psychotropic Substances (NDPS), Anuradha Shukla, at Rouse Avenue court on October 3 in a case dating back to July 2021.

The Special Cell had then arrested a man in South Delhi and followed the trail to Faridabad, where a total of 358.08 kg of heroin was seized.

During submissions, Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Akhand Pratap Singh told the court, "There is ample evidence against this accused (Navpreet) in form of his connection with co-accused Gurpreet and Gurjyot Singh, from whom huge quantity of heroin in total 358.08 kilogram was recovered".

He also submitted that the co-accused had made disclosure statements against Navpreet. "A cheque book recovered from the premises of co-accused Ramandeep belonged to the accused," the court order recorded.

The court noted that Navpreet was declared a proclaimed offender on February 16, 2022. According to the prosecution, he had avoided investigation and court proceedings for more than four years.

The court order also recorded the prosecution's submission that Navpreet had inflicted injuries on his hand and stomach when he was being handed over to the Special Cell. He was taken to Medanta Hospital at the Delhi Airport for medical treatment.

Police seek to trace supply chain, identify associates

According to the Special Cell's remand papers, it sought Navpreet's custody to question him about the alleged syndicate's operations, his movements and the preparation of his passport in Delhi, as well as to confront him with statements made by other accused. It also sought to identify and apprehend other alleged suppliers, financiers, carriers and facilitators.

"The disclosure of the accused is on record wherein he has stated that he used to deliver drugs through dead drop," SPP Singh told the court.

In a dead drop, a consignment is left at an agreed location for someone else to collect later.

SPP Singh said Navpreet had told investigators that drugs had been buried at several places in Punjab and that he could identify the locations and help recover them.

"... the accused, in his disclosure, also stated that his associates, Labba and Manna, had taken godowns in MP where drugs were kept and there is a house in Punjab also which can be identified," the order reads.

Judge Shukla said, The investigation necessitates police custody of the accused to recover the buried drugs which were dead dropped and other drugs which accused has stated that he has kept hidden; to unearth the supply chain, source and transportation route; for identification of other persons involved in procurement, transportation, storage and distribution; and to establish complete financial trail connected with the illegal drug trade."

"The accused has to be taken to Punjab and MP for investigation purposes. For the needful to be done, 10 days' police custody is being sought, which seems reasonable," the NDPS Judge said in the order.

Navpreet is also an accused in a 2022 terror case lodged by the Special Cell. The case pertains to using funds allegedly obtained from selling narcotics to finance terror activities.

A trail in Punjab

Navpreet is from Wazir Bhulla village in the Beas area of Amritsar.

He was first arrested in Punjab in a drug smuggling case in 2013 and was acquitted in 2017.

Navpreet's name re-surfaced in October 2024, when the Punjab Police counter-intelligence wing seized 105 kg of heroin at Baba Bakala. The two men arrested at that time were allegedly his associates.

The India-based operations of the alleged drug syndicate were run by his cousin, Prabhdeep Singh alias 'Harry'. Prabhdeep was extradited from Azerbaijan on May 13 by the Central Bureau of Investigation in coordination with the Special Cell.