Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has apprehended a wanted accused linked to a cross-border heroin and grenade-pistol smuggling case registered in Punjab.

According to an official release, the Gujarat ATS has been closely monitoring narcotics networks operating across India. During surveillance operations, Deputy Superintendent of Police Harsh Upadhyay received specific intelligence that Rehmat Ali, son of Ilyas Mohammad Sheikh and a resident of Bhalla Colony in Amritsar, Punjab, was hiding in Ahmedabad.

Rehmat Ali is a wanted accused in a case registered at Rajasansi Police Station in Amritsar district, Punjab, in connection with cross-border heroin and grenade-pistol smuggling. Inputs suggested that after fleeing Punjab, he had travelled to Nepal, then to Bihar, and was currently residing in the Rakhial area of Ahmedabad.

The intelligence was shared with senior ATS officials, following which Superintendent of Police K. Siddharth ordered its verification. A team of ATS personnel confirmed that the accused was working at an embroidery factory in Rakhial.

Acting on instructions from senior officers, a team led by DySP Harsh Upadhyay, along with Police Inspectors Y.G. Gurjar and D.V. Rathod, PSI B.D. Vaghela, and other ATS personnel, conducted a raid and apprehended Rehmat Ali from the factory premises. He was subsequently brought to the ATS office in Ahmedabad for further interrogation.

During preliminary questioning conducted by PSI R.R. Garchar, it was revealed that the accused was part of a major narcotics and arms smuggling network. Investigations indicate that in January 2026, he allegedly transported consignments of heroin, hand grenades, and pistols from the Punjab-Pakistan border and delivered them to associates in Punjab.

An FIR in the matter was registered on January 29, 2026, under Sections 21 and 25 of the NDPS Act and Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act. In the earlier crackdown, two accused were arrested, and contraband including 42.9 kg of heroin, four hand grenades, one Star-mark pistol, and 46 live cartridges were seized.

Following the registration of the case, Rehmat Ali had been absconding. He allegedly fled to Nepal before moving through Bihar and eventually taking up work at an embroidery unit in Ahmedabad to evade arrest.

The Gujarat ATS has informed the Punjab Police about his detention. Legal procedures have been initiated to hand him over to the Punjab Police for further action in the case. DeshGujarat