Jammu: DGP Dilbag Singh said Thursday that eight people were detained, four from Kupwara district in Kashmir and four from Ludhiana, after their “backward and forward links were established” with a big inter-state narco-terror operation.
The DGP said the module was busted after the recovery of a 30-kg narcotic shipment in Ramban district a few days earlier, calling it a great victory for Jammu and Kashmir Police in its determined battle against drug scourges or narco-terror.
At a press conference, the DGP said further arrests were possible as the investigation continued.
The JKP head said 2023 was the finest year in 30 years for security, with the lowest number of terrorism-related events and civilian fatalities. He stated that terror activity increased after 2013 (the previous top year) as Pakistan tried to reinvigorate it, and 2017 saw the most instances. DGP reported 26 law and order events in 2022 and three this year.
He said 2023 saw 12 civilian fatalities, with JKP working in perfect collaboration with other forces to safeguard residents. “The year saw improvement in police fatalities and an increase in neutralising armed groups,” the DGP remarked. “Although Pakistan was helping revive terrorism in Rajouri-Poonch, security forces were resolutely engaged in counter-terror operations,” he added.
He responded to questions about narco-terrorism in J&K and narco-smuggling by saying drug seizures had increased sevenfold, demonstrating JKP’s urgency and determination.
The DGP said Kupwara’s Amrohi region has become a key narco smuggling corridor, with 12 instances filed and ties found there. He claimed Pakistan is the source, J&K is the route, and Punjab is the destination of narco-smuggling.
He estimated seven lakh J&K drug users.
At the start of the presser, the DGP described how Ramban police seized a huge consignment of 30 kg of cocaine-like substance worth Rs 300 crore on September 30, 2023, from two Punjab-based peddlers in an Innova car with registration number HR02W-4925.
Intercepted and arrested. A special investigative team under SSP Ramban Mohita Sharma was formed to investigate FIR 252/2023 u/s 8/21/22/27/29 NDPS Act. “Further, to ascertain backward and forward linkages, special teams were deputed by the SSP, both to Kashmir for backward linkage and to Punjab for forward linkage,” the DGP said, praising SSP Ramban and other dedicated police officers for busting this major narco-terror network.
After extensive technological information gathering, the DGP confiscated truck registration No. JK04F-8057 and detained the driver, who delivered 30 kg of contraband in exchange for Rs 45 lakhs in cash at Parimpora. After persistent inquiry, the accused driver revealed the identity of another Kupwara-arrested peddler. Three additional Kupwara peddlers who admitted to receiving the contraband from across the border were arrested after ongoing technological and human information was collected to find the kingpin. They recovered 4 kg (198 grammes) of cocaine-like material and Rs 43.17 lakh in cash during interrogation.
While investigating the forward connectivity, a special squad was formed, comprising IB Squad Jammu and Punjab Police. A big Ludhiana drug smuggler was arrested after technical inputs, IPDR and CDR data analysis, and digital footprint collection on numerous networks, the JKP head said. Police recovered 14 chequebooks, two fixed deposits, 22 passbooks, 12 Aadhar cards, 9 ATM cards, two pen drives, 38 fake vehicle number plates, two fake badges of the BJP and Punjab Police, one fake sticker of the Punjab government, 1 fake driving licence, 14 RCs, 1 Pan Card, 9 ATMs, eight mobile phones, one revolver (made in Germany), 4 diaries, one fake passport, 6 passports, and one Curr. 44 grammes of gold, 385 grammes of silver, 600 grammes of cocaine-like substance, and Rs 4,94,50,000 in cash.
IGP Jammu Zone Anand Jain and SSP Ramban Mohita Sharma joined the DGP at the presser.
