Baramulla, Feb 25: The Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday arrested a drug peddler and seized 850 grams of a brown sugar-like substance, along with cash amounting to INR 14.76 lakhs from him in Kamalkote Uri subdivision of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
A police official said that the arrest was made during the intervening nights of February 24 and 25.
“Based on a specific tip-off regarding the presence of narcotics at the house of Maqsood Ahmad Bhatti, son of Bhag Ali, from Madiyan Kamalkote Uri, a police team raided the house and found the illegal substances and cash, which were seized in the presence of the magistrate,” the police official said.
The police team was led by PSI Shubham Seth, IC PP Kamalkote, under the overall supervision of Sh. Shokat Ali-JKPS, SDPO Uri, along with an executive magistrate.
“Rupees Fourteen Lacs and Seventy Six Thousand and Eight Hundred Fifty only (INR 14, 76,850/-) and 850 grams of contraband Brown Sugar like substance were seized from his possession,” police said.
He said that according to preliminary investigations the drugs were part of a larger conspiracy hatched by Pakistan-based handlers to push drugs into Jammu and Kashmir through such smugglers, with the aim of spreading drug addiction among the youth.
Police said that the accused has been taken into custody, and a case has been registered under section 8/21, 29 NDPS Act in the Uri Police Station.
“The investigation is ongoing, with authorities hoping to track down and prosecute all those involved in the drug trade in the region,” police in Baramulla said.
Earlier on Feb 12, the Baramulla police arrested four drug suppliers along with 1.17 kg of brown sugar and a cash of Rs. 25.39 Lakhs from Uri area of Baramulla.
Police said that in the months of January and February, more than 25 cases have been registered, narcotics worth around 2 crores have been seized, and more than 30 drug peddlers have been arrested under NDPS in Baramulla district.
