SRINAGAR: In its drive against drug trafficking, police on Wednesday busted a drug racket by arresting two persons and seizing eight kilograms of heroin, which was smuggled from Pakistan.
A police official said a police team during a routine checkpoint intercepted a Tata Sumo vehicle at Barthana Crossing at Qamarwari in the outskirts of Srinagar today. He said two persons were travelling on the board in the vehicle.
“The thorough search of the vehicle was conducted by the policemen. The search led to the discovery of six kilograms of heroin concealed beneath the driver’s seat,” the police official said.
He said during the search of the two persons, two kilograms of the narcotic substance was recovered from them. “Each of them was concealing 1 kilogram of the narcotic substance in polythene bags”.
The arrested were identified as Anas Ajaz Awan and Zahid Ahmad Sheikh, both residents of Tangdar in border district of Kupwara.
“The narcotics and the vehicle used in the commission of crime have been seized as evidence by the police,” the police official said.
He said police have registered FIR No. 03/2025 under sections 8/21 and 29 of the NDPS Act and further investigation has been taken up. The police official said during the preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the recovered narcotics were smuggled from Pakistan as part of a cross-border drug trafficking network.
“Police is actively pursuing both backward and forward linkages to dismantle this syndicate and identify all individuals involved in this illicit trade,” he added.
Police have urged the public to support its efforts in creating a drug-free society and share any information related to drug trafficking or suspicious activities with the nearest police station or by dialing 112. The drug trafficking and drug use has increased in the Valley in the last few years. Over 9000 cases under NDPS Act have been registered in J&K since 2019 and nearly 8000 kgs of narcotics including Heroin and Hashish have been destroyed in last three years.