Nexus with Punjab smugglers under investigation
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 3: In a major breakthrough in its drive against narco-terrorism, the Jammu and Kashmir Police today recovered seven kilograms of heroin, over Rs 2 crore cash and a pistol from the house of a notorious drug peddler along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Jammu Zone Mukesh Singh said a major narco-terror module has been busted in the border district of Poonch, adding the search operation is still going on and counting of cash was on in presence of the Magistrate and prominent citizens.
The recovery was made from the house of notorious drug peddler Rafi Dhana alias “Rafi Lala”, who was recently detained under the stringent Public Safety Act, at village Danna Doyiyan in Mandi sector of Poonch district.
Poonch Police along with components of the National Crime Agency and the CRPF raided the house of Rafi near the LoC on specific information, leading to the recovery of seven kgs of heroin, over Rs 2 crore as cash, 15,000 US dollars and a pistol with one magazine and 10 rounds and seven rounds of SLR.
The counting of the cash is still going on, sources said, adding the counting is taking place in presence of Magistrate and prominent people of the area.
With Friday’s development, police and security forces have been able to bust a major narco-terror module in the Union Territory, sources said.
“The searches are still going on in the presence of Magistrates and prominent citizens. The nexus of this module with Punjab-based narcotics smugglers is being investigated,” the ADGP said, adding a case has been registered at Police Station Mandi and further investigation set into motion.
Sources said nexus of the module busted by the police with Punjab-based narcotics smugglers is being investigated. Already, there have been reports that drugs smuggled from Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK) from the Line of Control and International Border are being smuggled to Punjab and proceeds generated from the illegal trade are used for fanning terrorism in the Valley and other parts of the Union Territory.
However, on some occasions, drugs smuggled from Punjab are also pumped into Jammu and Kashmir as Punjab also shares large boundary with Pakistan and there have been numerous incidents of drug and arms smuggling through drones.
Only yesterday, senior police officers of Northern States met in Chandigarh to discuss serious threat of narcotics smuggling and steps required to contain the menace collectively.
Police said they are trying to ascertain source of cash and the persons for whom it was meant. A case has been registered at Mandi Police Station for investigations.