Jammu: Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) investigations have exposed two key heroin trafficking routes from Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir, with four major interceptions in the Jammu division over the past month resulting in seizure of more than 6.90 kg of heroin, an official said on Saturday.
The routes — one directly from Pakistan through north Kashmir’s Uri sector and the other via Punjab — have emerged as key conduits for movement of heroin into Jammu and Kashmir, a spokesman of NCB’s Jammu zonal unit said.
He said with the interception of four heroin consignments in the Jammu division over the past month, along with a linked follow-up recovery in Punjab, the NCB has seized a total 6.92 kg of heroin.
The spokesman said two of these operations were conducted in drug-affected slums, with the enforcement action targeting vulnerable pockets exploited for drug trafficking.
In the latest operation conducted September 3, the NCB intercepted a passenger bus near New Bus Stand, Samba, and recovered 522 grams of heroin from Aqib Bashir, resident of Kakapora village of Pulwama.
Pursuing the backward linkage of the consignment led investigators to Punjab’s Ludhiana, where a follow-up operation resulted in recovery of another 197 grams of heroin, the spokesman said.
He said the twin Samba-Ludhiana operations resulted in seizure of 719 grams of heroin, while further investigation is underway to identify and apprehend other persons connected with the supply, transportation and intended distribution of the consignment.
The Punjab trail comes close on the heels of another NCB operation involving seizure of 5.16 kg of heroin from Jammu’s Panjtirthi area.
Investigation in the case indicated that the consignment had originated from Pakistan and entered Jammu and Kashmir through the Uri sector. NCB pursued the trail beyond the point of seizure up to Leh, where the alleged supplier was apprehended, the spokesman said.
He said the two investigations have therefore exposed two different supply channels pushing heroin into the region — one originating across the Pakistan border and another operating through the Punjab-Jammu and Kashmir corridor.
Additionally, as part of the sustained offensive on drug trafficking in the region, the NCB conducted two separate operations in drug-affected slums in Jammu and Samba districts, recovering 438 grams and 603 grams of heroin, respectively.
The spokesman said NCB’s strategy is not merely intercepting drugs or apprehending carriers.
“Every consignment is being pursued backwards towards its source, forwards towards intended recipients and through its financial trail, with the objective of identifying and dismantling the entire trafficking chain. The Pakistan-Uri trail pursued up to Leh and the latest Samba trail pursued backwards to Ludhiana demonstrate this approach,” the spokesman said.
He said further investigation is underway to identify the source, intended recipients, financiers and other associates of these networks and to trace their wider interstate and cross-border linkages.
The NCB appealed to the public to join the fight against drug trafficking. “Any information relating to the sale, storage, transportation or trafficking of narcotic drugs may be shared on the MANAS National Narcotics Helpline — 1933. The identity of the informant will be kept confidential,” the spokesman said.
