Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 23: Police today busted a major trans-Line of Control (LoC) drug smuggling module operating in North Kashmir and arrested 17 persons including five police officials.
Police also identified a Pakistan based man behind the supplying of narcotics into Kashmir through his son based in Keran in Kupwara. He has been identified as Shakir Ali Khan, a Pakistan-based handler originally from Keran and has smuggled about 5 kg of heroin into Kashmir so far.
He is the supplier of narcotics to his son Tahmeed Khan in Keran Kupwara through the LoC. “On Tahmeed’s confession and disclosure, two packets of around 2.0 kg of heroin like narcotics substance have also been recovered from his house. Tahmeed used to transport it to Kupwara to sell it among his other arrested associates to earn huge money,” police spokesman said.
Tahmeed’s father Shakir Ali Khan crossed LoC in early 1990s to join militancy. Shakir infiltrated back and remained one of the top active militants of HM for quite some time in Keran – Kupwara sector. “Shakir fled back to the PoK and is now a top militant handler also involved in pushing into Kashmir valley, arms, ammunition and narcotics”, the spokesman said.
During the investigation of the case (FIR No.283/2022 of Police Station Kupwara) by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by DySP Khadim Hussain, it has surfaced that about 5.0 kg heroin valued at Rs 5.0 crores in the market has been smuggled in from Pakistan by Tahmeed Khan during the last three months.
Out of this, about 2.0 kg has been recovered, about 1.0 kg has been peddled among drug peddlers and addicts and about 2.0 kg remains to be traced.
The spokesman said that it is one of the biggest success against drug smuggling and peddling module in which 17 persons including five policemen, a political activist, a Contractor and a shopkeeper were arrested from different areas of Kupwara and Baramulla districts.
“The busting of this drug smuggling and peddling module has yet again exposed the direct involvement of Pakistan-based handlers in pumping into Kashmir valley narcotics aimed to destroy Kashmiri youth,” the spokesman said.
“Working relentlessly to identify and act against the drug peddlers active in the district Kupwara, police zeroed in on some drug peddlers active in Kupwara town and its adjoining areas,” the spokesman added.
Police on a tip off arrested one Mohmmad Waseem Najar – a poultry shop owner son of Ghulam Mohd Najar, resident of Darzipura, Kupwara with some quantity of narcotics from his residential house.
Waseem on questioning admitted to be a part of a big group of drug peddlers and disclosed names of some of his associates of Kupwara as well as Uri area of district Baramulla involved in this illegal trade.
On his disclosure police conducted raids at various places across the district and arrested 16 more persons identified as SPO Haroon Rasheed Bhat son of Abdu; Rasheed Bhat resident of Halmatpora, SPO Irshad Ahmed Khan son of Anayatullah Khan resident of Batpora Hyama, Ishfaq Habib Khan – a political activist son of Habibulla Khan Gonipora Hyama, Tahir Ahmed Malik son of Abdul Ahad Malik resident of Rigipora, Kupwara, Khursheed Ahmed Khan – dry fruits Shopkeeper and his son Imtiyaz Khan residents of Halmatpora, Tamheed Ahmed Khan son of Shakir Ali Khan resident of Keran , Roman Mushtaq Bhat son of Mushtaq Ahmed Bhat resident of Uri, Baramulla, Asif Rashid Hajam son of Abdul Rashid Hajam resident of Batergam, Kupwara, SPO Sajad Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Mohd Bhat resident of Gonipora Hyama, constable Abdul Majeed Bhat son of Wali Mohammad Bhat resident of Kunan Poshpora, Trehgam, SPO Zahid Maqbool Dar son of Mohammad Maqbool Dar resident of Kunan Poshpora Trehgam, Abid Ali Bhat son of Haji Ali Mohammad Bhat resident of Bohipora Kupwara, Tanveer Ahmad Wani – a contractor, son of Mohammad Issaq Wani resident of Gulgam Kupwara, Nadeem Javed son of Javed Iqbal Naik of Uri Baramulla, and Tahir Ahmad Khan son of Amir Zaman Khan resident of Boniyar, Baramulla.
Police has registered 85 cases against 161 persons in the Kupwara district and 33 people involved in narcotics smuggling have been detained and lodged in different jails under PSA.
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