Srinagar: An inter-state narco-terror module was busted and its four members were arrested in Kupwara district of north Kashmir during a joint operation by police and Army.
Around eight kilograms of heroin-like substance and cash was seized during the operation, police said.
“In a major success against inter-state narco-terror smuggling syndicate originating from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), security forces arrested four smugglers involved in running the module,” a police official said.
He said acting on a tip-off that a Punjab-based narco-smuggler had arrived in the district at a pre-decided location to take a consignment of narcotics, a search operation was launched in the Zurhama area of Trehgam.
During the operation, four persons were arrested when they were in the process of exchanging smuggled narcotics and cash among themselves, the official said.
He identified them as Yousuf Bokra, a resident of Rashanpora Kralpora; Showkat Ahmad Khatana, a resident of Meliyal Kupwara; Maroof Ahmad Mir, a resident of Jumagad and at present living at Zurhama Kupwara; and Laba Masih, a resident of Awan Ramdas Ajnala in Amritsar district of Punjab.
During preliminary investigation, “it has transpired that the narcotic consignment has been sent by two PoK-based terrorist handlers of LeT namely Manzoor Ahmad Mir, and Asad Mir, both originally residents of Jumagund Kupwara, who have exfiltrated to PoK in early 1990s to join terrorist ranks,” the official said.
“Both Manzoor and Asad have over a period of time become terrorist handlers of LeT and mainly acting as launching commanders besides pushing narcotics and weapons to sustain terrorist activities in J&K,” he said.
Eight packets of narcotics (heroin-like substance) weighing about eight Kilograms along with Rs 5 lakh cash in Indian currency was recovered from the possession of the arrested persons, the official said.
A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act has been registered in this connection, the official said, adding the investigation is at its initial stage and more arrests and recoveries cannot be ruled out.
