J&K: Narco-terror module busted in Kupwara, 4 held

The police said the drug smuggling syndicate originated from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and was being run by two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) handlers

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday claimed to have busted an interstate narco-terror module in Kupwara with the arrest of four smugglers from whom 8kg narcotics and ₹ 5 lakh were recovered.

The smuggled packets of heroin-like substance and cash recovered of Kupwara police on Saturday. (ANI)

The police said the drug smuggling syndicate originated from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and was being run by two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) handlers.

A police spokesperson said that acting on intel that a Punjab-based drug smuggler had arrived in the district to receive a consignment of narcotics, a joint search operation was launched along with the local army unit in Zurhama, Trehgam.

“During the operation, four persons identified as Yousuf Bokra of Kralpora’s Rashanpora, Showkat Ahmad Khatana of Kupwara’s Meliyal, Maroof Ahmad Mir of Jumagund, and Laba Masih of Punjab’s Ajnala, were arrested. They were caught while exchanging smuggled narcotics and cash,” the spokesperson said.

He added that during the preliminary investigations, it came to the fore that the narcotic consignment has been sent by two PoK-based LeT handlers -- Manzoor Ahmad Mir and Asad Mir. They hailed from Jumagund in Kupwara, but had exfiltrated to PoK in early 90s to join militancy, the police spokesperson said.

“Both Manzoor and Asad, over a period of time, had become LeT terrorist handlers, mainly acting as launching commanders besides pushing narcotics and weapons to sustain terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.

The spokesperson said that so far, eight packets of heroin-like substance each weighing about 1kg along with ₹5 lakh in Indian currency have been recovered from the possession of the arrested persons.

“A case under relevant sections of the NDPS Act and UA(P) Act has been registered at the Trehgam police station. As the investigations are in initial stage, possibility of more arrests and recoveries can’t be ruled out,” the police spokesperson said.