Jammu: An inter-state drug smuggler was arrested along with nearly four kilograms of ‘charas’ (hashish) worth lakhs of rupees here on Tuesday, a senior officer of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) said.
Jammu ANTF Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anwar-ul-Haq said the smuggler was moving on a motorcycle when he was successfully intercepted and arrested from Nagrota along the Srinagar-Jammu national highway.
He identified the accused as Mohammad Nasir (52), a resident of Uttarakhand, and said his preliminary interrogation suggests his involvement in a larger interstate network dealing in cannabis derivatives.
“Further investigation is underway to trace the source and the intended recipients of the consignment. The motorcycle used in smuggling has also been seized,” the SSP told reporters here.
He said the smuggler had devised a covert method of hiding the narcotics in compartments of the two-wheeler to evade detection. However, due to swift and coordinated action by the field units, the consignment was seized before it could be trafficked further, the officer said.
He said this successful operation underscores the continued commitment of ANTF to dismantle drug syndicates operating in and through the Union Territory (UT).
The SSP said the ANTF remains vigilant and committed to ensuring that J-K does not become a transit route or consumption market for illicit drugs. Seeking the cooperation of the public, he said the drug menace is a major challenge for the law-enforcing agencies after militancy and needs to be curbed to safeguard the youth.
“The public is encouraged to remain alert and report any suspicious activities related to narcotic trafficking to police and other agencies to root out the menace,” he said.
In another development, police arrested two drug peddlers and seized heroin from their possession in Udhampur and Jammu districts on Tuesday.
Rakesh Kumar was arrested after 3.68 grams of heroin were recovered from him during frisking at Roundmail in Udhampur, while Vishal Singh alias Amu was nabbed along with 8.04 grams of heroin from the Miran Sahib area of Jammu, a police spokesman said.
He said both the peddlers were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and further investigation is on.
