Four special police officers, one cop, and a political activist are among 17 arrested in one of the biggest drug smugglings in north Kashmir.
In one of its biggest operations against drug smuggling, Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested 17 persons including five policemen, a political activist, a contractor, and a shopkeeper in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. The police said the drug narcotics smuggling module has connections in the Keran sector of the LoC and it originates in Pakistan.
The police said on a tip-off a poultry shop owner Waseem Najar of Kupwara was arrested with some quantity of narcotics from his residential house. “After investigation, he (Najar) admitted to being a part of a big group of drug peddlers. He disclosed the names of some of his associates belonging to the Kupwara and Uri areas of district Baramulla. Later raids were conducted at various places across the district and 16 more persons namely were arrested,” the police said. The police said four special police officers and one police constable have been also arrested in the case.
The police said a Pakistan-based militant handler Shakir Ali Khan originally hailing from Keran sector of Kupowara is the main supplier of narcotics the case. The police said on Khan’s son Tahmeed's disclosure two packets weighing close to two kg of heroine like substance have also been recovered from his house.
“Tahmeed used to transport it to Kupwara to sell it among his other arrested associates to earn huge money,” the police said.
Khan first crossed LoC in early 1990 to join militant ranks. The police said after obtaining training in illegal arms and ammunition, Khan infiltrated this side and remained one of the top active militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit for some time in Keran–Kupwara sector. “Feeling the heat from security forces, Khan crossed LoC towards PoK and is now a top terrorist handler also involved in pushing into Kashmir Valley, arms, ammunition and narcotics,” the police said.
“During the investigation, five kg of narcotics valued at rupees five crores in the market has been smuggled from Pakistan by the head of this module Tahmeed Khan during the last three months. Of five kgs, two kgs have been recovered in the case, about one kg has been distributed among drug peddlers and drug addicts and about two kgs remain to be traced,” the police said.
This year 85 cases have been registered against 161 persons in the Kupwara and people involved in narcotics smuggling have been detained and lodged in different jails under PIT-NDPS Act.