Inter-State narco-module: Strong links traced from Kashmir’s Kupwara to Punjab’s Ludhiana: DGP Dilbagh Singh

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir’s Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh of Police Thursday said that the links of the Inter State narco-module busted a few days ago have been traced from north Kashmir’s Kupwara district to Ludhiana Punjab. He said that eight people have been arrested so far—four from Kupwara and four from Punjab while 30 kgs of cocaine, Rs 5 crore cash, 40 fake number plates of vehicles, passports and a Germany made revolver have been recovered.

Addressing the press conference District Police Lines (DPL) Jammu, DGP Singh, said that Ramban police recently intercepted the vehicle and recovered 30 kg of cocaine-like substance. “Though the final report of FSL is awaited, it seems that the recovered substance is cocaine,” the DGP said, adding that four people from northern Kashmir’s Kupwara district have been arrested.

“During the course of investigation, it was found that links of the inter-State narco-module are connected with Kupwara district. Kupwara’s Amrohi is the favourite route used for narco-smuggling; the fresh consignment was also smuggled from the same route. We have registered 12 cases in the Amrohi area of Kupwara related to narco-terror,” the DGP said, adding that even though no evidence of drone-dropped narcotics have been received, there are credible leads that show that narcotics have been smuggled physically.

He said after the arrest of four accused from Kupwara, J&K police in a joint operation with the Punjab police arrested four more people including the key handler of the drugs. “Investigations showed that the arrested key accused’s father was also a drug dealer. We have recovered Rs 5 Crore cash, 40 fake number plates, passports and a German made revolver from the arrested persons,” he said.

Asked about the number plates, the DGP said that it seems that during the transportation of drugs that were supposed to be transported from Kuwpara to Punjab, number plates were used to deceive police on the highways. “The drivers of vehicles ferrying drugs would have been impersonating police officials given the police badges recovered and also the number plates of the vehicles would have been changed from one stop to another,” he said.

He said that so far it has been found that narcotics are coming from across the LoC in Kashmir to support and fuel terrorism. “Links of all major terror organisations have come to fore in the racket,” DGP said.

He said as the investigations are on, more arrests are likely to be made. He said that the cases of drone-dropped consignments of narcotics have been reported from the International border in Jammu areas. “With the arrest of eight accused, a big inter-state narco smuggling module has been busted,” the DGP said. To a query about the number of drug abusers in J&K, the DGP said even though there is credible study or census, a preliminary investigation suggests that there are 7 lakh people who have fallen prey to drugs in J&K—KNO