5 cops among 17 held in Kupwara drugs bust: Police

Senior superintendent of police (Kupwara), Yougal Manhas, said the police zeroed in on some drug peddlers active in Kupwara town and its adjoining areas based on a tip off.

Five cops were among 17 people arrested as a major narcotics smuggling module, originating from Pakistan, was busted in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Friday.

The 17 people arrested include SPOs Haroon Rasheed Bhat, Irshad Ahmed Khan, Sajad Ahmad Bhat, Zahid Maqbool Dar and Constable Abdul Majeed Bhat, and political activist Ishfaq Habib Khan, among others. (Representational Photo)

“In one of its biggest successes against drug smuggling and peddling in the district, Police have arrested 17 persons, including five policemen, a political activist, a contractor and a shopkeeper from different areas of the districts of Kupwara and Baramulla, unearthing another narcotics smuggling module originating from Pakistan,” a police spokesperson said.

Senior superintendent of police (Kupwara), Yougal Manhas, said the police zeroed in on some drug peddlers active in Kupwara town and its adjoining areas based on a tip off.

“On a tip-off one Mohd Waseem Najar-a poultry shop owner son of Ghulam Mohd Najar, resident of Darzipura, Kupwara was arrested with some quantity of narcotics from his residence. After preliminary investigations, Waseem admitted to be a part of a big group of drug peddlers and disclosed names of some of his associates belonging to this district and Uri area of Baramulla. Subsequent raids were conducted at various places across the district and 16 people were arrested,” he said.

The 17 people arrested include SPOs Haroon Rasheed Bhat, Irshad Ahmed Khan, Sajad Ahmad Bhat, Zahid Maqbool Dar and Constable Abdul Majeed Bhat, and political activist Ishfaq Habib Khan, among others.