Srinagar: Four alleged drug peddlers were arrested in Baramulla district with 1.17 kilograms of brown sugar-like substance and Rs 25 lakh in cash on them, police here said on Sunday.
Responding to a tip-off related to the smuggling of contraband, police had set up a mobile checkpoint at Sultan Daki in Uri town, said an officer.
A vehicle on its way from Kamalkote towards Uri was signaled to stop but the driver instead tried to flee. “The vehicle was tactfully stopped by an alert police party. Four persons were onboard the vehicle,” he said.
During a search of the vehicle, police found Rs 25.39 lakh in cash and 1.17 kg of contraband, apparently brown sugar, a police spokesman said.
He said all four, including the driver of the vehicle, were arrested. They were identified as Naseer Ahmad Bhatti, Reyaz Ahmad Khanday, Fayaz Ahmad Khanday, and Mohammad Pazeer, police said.
“During preliminary investigation, it was learnt that under a well-hatched conspiracy, Pakistan-based handlers are pushing drugs inside J&K through such smugglers to spread drug addiction among the youth,” police said.
Separately, another drug-peddler — Faizan Rasool Dar son of Ghulam Rasool Dar, resident of Kachwa Muqam — was arrested at Wagoora Kreeri along with 90 grams of cannabis powder-like substance, police said.
