In the first 50 days of Jammu and Kashmir's anti-narcotics drive, police booked 176 cases under the NDPS Act and took 202 accused into custody, officials said on Tuesday.
Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Joginder Singh said the force's zero-tolerance approach towards narcotics, supported by intelligence gathering, enforcement measures, community participation and legal action, had yielded significant results in tackling the drug menace.
Under the ‘Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan’, police seized 5.533 kg of heroin, commonly known as chitta, valued at approximately Rs 16.60 crore during the period.
In addition, authorities recovered 3.250 kg of poppy straw worth around Rs 87,000, 29.267 kg of ganja valued at about Rs 8.78 lakh and 1 kg of opium worth nearly Rs 27,000, he said.
As part of efforts to target habitual offenders and dismantle narcotics networks, a notorious drug offender was detained under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act, the SSP added.
Highlighting the campaign's financial investigation and asset-tracing efforts, Singh said 37 vehicles linked to drug-related activities were seized, while 123 grams of gold valued at around Rs 13.70 lakh was frozen.
Police also froze 26 bank accounts involving transactions worth approximately Rs 18 lakh and attached properties valued at Rs 5.19 crore in eight cases, including three movable and five immovable properties.
According to the SSP, 22 properties belonging to known drug offenders were demolished in coordination with the district administration.
Administrative action was also taken against individuals involved in narcotics trafficking, resulting in the cancellation of 27 driving licences and 143 vehicle registration certificates (RCs), he said.
The SSP further said that Jammu Police demolished 22 illegal structures, including 11 pucca houses and 11 khullas, which were allegedly being used to facilitate narcotics-related activities.
Describing the fight against drugs as a collective social responsibility, Singh appreciated the cooperation extended by the public, civil society organisations, educational institutions and youth in supporting the campaign.
He urged citizens to continue sharing information about drug peddling and narcotics-related activities, assuring that all credible inputs would be acted upon promptly.
Reiterating the force's commitment to a drug-free Jammu and Kashmir, the SSP said the sustained crackdown on narcotics trafficking would continue, adding that police remain focused on protecting the youth and ensuring that drug traffickers find no space to operate in the region.
