Diplomat Desk
Srinagar,(DD): In a significant step towards combating the growing drug menace in Jammu and Kashmir, police forces have arrested seven drug peddlers from different parts of the Kashmir Valley, recovering substantial quantities of illegal substances.
The arrests span Kulgam, Baramulla, Anantnag and Awantipora, with police also detaining a notorious drug dealer under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act in Kupwara.
The coordinated operations, which targeted drug traffickers across multiple districts, resulted in the seizure of large quantities of contraband, including poppy straw, cannabis powder, and 288 banned capsules. These recoveries highlight the scale of the narcotics trade in the region and the police’s ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks involved in drug trafficking.
In Kulgam, police intercepted a suspicious individual at a checkpoint in Chawalgam, where 2 kgs of poppy straw were seized from Mashooq Ahmad Hilla. Meanwhile, in Baramulla, another police team recovered 288 banned capsules from Aijaz Ahmad Sofi during a checkpoint operation at Janbazpora. Similarly, in Anantnag, 1.270 kg of cannabis powder was found in the possession of Ab Rehman Mir, and a raid on Javid Ahmad Padder’s house in Mattan led to the seizure of 5 kg of charas powder.
In Awantipora, a police team from Police Station Pampore intercepted a scooty at Galander Crossing, arresting three individuals and seizing 8.160 kgs of grinded poppy straw-like substance from their possession. The vehicle used in the crime was also seized.
In a bid to prevent the further spread of narcotics, police in Kupwara detained Mohd Shafi Sheikh, a notorious drug peddler, under the PIT-NDPS Act. Sheikh, who has been involved in several drug trafficking cases, was previously implicated in FIRs related to the NDPS Act. His detention aims to prevent his continued involvement in illicit activities and to ensure a safer, drug-free society.
The police continue to urge the public to report any suspicious activity related to drug trafficking and assure the community that they are committed to taking strong action against those involved in such illegal activities. The authorities have promised to intensify efforts to dismantle drug networks, ensuring a safer future for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.(DD)