After recovery of 30 kg cocaine from two Punjab-based drug smugglers in Ramban on September 30, the Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab Police have arrested eight accused so far—four each from Kupwara and Punjab’s Ludhiana.
Addressing media persons in Jammu, J&K Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said, “After the recovery of the contraband, Ramban police worked in close co-ordination with Punjab cops and traced forward and backward linkages of the consignment.”
In this regard, a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act was registered and a special investigation team was constituted, officials said.
“Special teams were deputed by the Ramban senior superintendent of police to Kashmir and Ludhiana. With the help of technical intelligence and after strenuous efforts, a truck was seized and its driver arrested. The driver was responsible of delivering the consignment in lieu of ₹45 lakhs at Parimpora,” said the DGP.
“On questioning, the driver disclosed name of another peddler, who was arrested from Kupwara district. It led to arrest of three more peddlers belonging in Kupwara. They all confessed having received the contraband from Pakistan. Their questioning led to recovery of cocaine like substance weighing 4 kg and 198 grams and ₹43, 17,000,” said Singh.
In simultaneous investigation, a special team in collaboration with Intelligence Bureau, assisted by Punjab police, traced the trail of digital footprint on various networks. It led to the arrest of notorious drug peddler, Manjeet Singh of Ludhiana, who is the kingpin of the drug racket, he said.
{{/usCountry}}In simultaneous investigation, a special team in collaboration with Intelligence Bureau, assisted by Punjab police, traced the trail of digital footprint on various networks. It led to the arrest of notorious drug peddler, Manjeet Singh of Ludhiana, who is the kingpin of the drug racket, he said.
{{/usCountry}}“So far, we have arrested eight drug peddlers, four each from Kupwara and Ludhiana. The case is still under investigation,” he said.
Seizure from Manjeet’s premises included 14 cheque books, two fixed deposit certificates, 12 aadhar cards, nine ATM cards, two pen drives, 38 fake number plates of vehicles, two fake badges of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Punjab Police, a fake sticker of Punjab government , a fake driving license, 14 registrations certificates, a PAN card, eight cell phones, a German made revolver, four diaries, six passports, a currency counting machine, three weighing scales, a rent deed, 44 gm gold, 385 gm silver, 600 gm cocaine like substance, and ₹4,94,50,000.
Dilbag Singh said Pakistan, as part of its narco-terror strategy, continued to smuggle drugs to fund and fuel terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
On September 30, Ramban police had arrested two smugglers, Sarabjeet Singh from Jalandhar and Honey Basra from Kapurthala.
J&K has achieved a significant milestone in the fight against terrorism this year so far as the Union territory witnessed the lowest number of terror incidents and civilian deaths in over three decades, the DGP added.