Chandigarh, May 26 (IANS): An international narcotics racket has been busted with the seizure of 5.47 kg of heroin in Punjab and the arrest of seven persons, police said on Sunday.

"In a major breakthrough against trans-border narcotic smuggling networks, Punjab Police in a joint operation with Border Security Force (BSF) have busted an international narco smuggling module with the arrest of seven drug smugglers after recovering 5.47 kg heroin and Rs 1.07 lakh drug money from their possession," said Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav.

Those arrested have been identified as Baljinder Singh, Sukhchain Singh, Solav Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Karandeep Singh, Daljit Singh and Kamaldeep Singh.

Accused Kamaldeep Singh has a criminal background and has already been facing two cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Kapurthala.

Apart from recovering heroin and drug money, police teams have also recovered 40 cartridges, six mobile phones, 8.4 grams gold and 68.97 grams silver from their possession, besides, impounding a Hyundai Verna car and three motorcycles.

DGP Yadav said preliminary investigations have revealed most of the accused, who are in their teens, are students and were preparing for the Army recruitment when they got acquainted with Kapurthala-based drug smuggler Kamaldeep Singh and started smuggling heroin from across the border.

The accused were in touch with a Pakistan-based smuggler and getting drug consignments via drones, he added.

He said that investigations are ongoing to establish backward and forward linkages and identify the Pakistan-based drug smuggler.