Kupwara (Jammu and Kashmir): In yet another major success against the drug smugglers in the frontier district of Kupwara in north Kashmir, police along with the army, arrested two drug smugglers with 4.5 kg of narcotics. According to the police spokesman, the arrests and drug recoveries were made during the intervening night of February 23 and 24 based on specific inputs from local police.
A total of five packets of narcotics substance weighing 4.588 kilograms were recovered from the Karnah area of Kupwara in two separate incidents, he said. In the first case, based on specific inputs about narcotics smuggling in the Taad area, a case FIR No.17/2023 U/S 8/21-29 NDPS Act was registered in Karnah Police Station.
During the investigation of the case, one suspects namely Farooq Ahmad Shah, the son of Raqeeb Hussain Shah, a resident of Panjatara Karnah, was picked up for questioning. Based on his confession and disclosure, the Kupwara police, along with Army unit 06 JAK Rifles, recovered three packets of narcotics substance weighing 2.674 Kg (with packing) from a hiding place near his house in the presence of the Executive Magistrate.
Also read:Five cops among 17 held as J&K police busts major drug smuggling module in Kupwara
The person was arrested and further investigation into the case was going on and more arrests are expected. In a similar case, based on specific input a case FIR No. 18/2023 U/S 8/21-29 NDPS Act was registered in Karnah Police Station during the investigation of which, a suspect namely Raja Aftab alias Babu, the son of Raja Ghulam Akbar, a resident of Teethwal, was detained for questioning.
Based on his confession and disclosure, two packets of narcotics substance weighing about 1.914 kgs (with packing) were recovered by the Kupwara police, along with the Army unit 06 JAK Rifles, in the presence of Executive Magistrate near his house at Teetwal. He has been arrested and further investigation was going on.
The police said that preliminary investigation has revealed that both the persons are hardcore narcotic smugglers and received these consignments from across the LoC to promote drug addiction to earn quick bucks and to further the cause of terrorism in J&K. Aftab’s brother Zahoor, who is residing in POJK after illegally crossing the LoC in the past, is suspected to be supplying the narcotics to his brother whereas one of of the brothers is already facing trial in a narcotics smuggling case registered by Nagrota Police Station in Jammu in 2018.
Farooq Shah arrested in the first case is also in close contact with POJK based handler in this illicit trade since past quite some time, police said. Pertinently, in December last year, five cops were among 17 persons arrested from different areas of district Kupwara and Baramulla after police busted a massive narcotics smuggling module originating from Pakistan.
