Jammu and Kashmir: Around 30 kg of cocaine worth Rs 300 crore in the international market was recovered by police from a Punjab-bound vehicle in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir. A senior police official has claimed to have busted a narco-terror module. Two Punjab residents were arrested following the recovery of one of the biggest narcotic hauls this year from the Banihal area along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Earlier, the recovered narcotics was believed to be heroin but after investigation it turned out to be cocaine.
Police bust a narco-terror module
“At about 10.30 pm on Saturday, Ramban police led by Senior Superintendent of Police, Mohita Sharma intercepted one vehicle at Railway Chowk Banihal coming from Kashmir towards Jammu and recovered about 30 kg cocaine, having an approximate value of Rs 300 crore in the international black market and apprehended two persons,” Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh said. He said the successful recovery resulted in the busting of a narco-terror module.
A case has been registered
A case under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered at Banihal police station and investigation set into motion, Singh said. “This operation was developed on intelligence generated by SSP Ramban and her team who have been continuously waging war against drug smugglers and peddlers,” the ADGP said. He said a large number of notorious peddlers and smugglers have already been booked by the team of Ramban police.
“A total of 104 cases (under NDPS Act) have been registered in 2022 while 36 such cases were registered in 2023 till date following the recovery of 2,500 kg poppy straw, 10 kg charas, 200 grams heroin and 200 tablets,” Singh said, adding 158 accused have been arrested and three detained under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in NDPS Act.
Smugglers tried to escape
Banihal Station House Officer Mohd Afzal Wani identified the arrested smugglers as Sarabjeet Singh of Jhalandhar and Honey Basra of Phagwara in Punjab. While three kilograms of the narcotic was found hidden on the top of the vehicle, 27 kgs were recovered from their luggage, he said.
Wani said the smugglers tried to escape when signalled to stop and were chased and subsequently arrested. The officials said the high-grade cocaine was smuggled from across the border and taken from north Kashmir to Punjab.
(with PTI inputs)
