Srinagar, Sep 21: A border area resident from north Kashmir’s Keran sector in Kupwara district was apprehended in Srinagar’s Gangbug area with 3.5 kg of heroin valued at approximately Rs 7 crores, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) said on Thursday.
Addressing the media persons, Senior Superintendent of Police (ANTF) Raj Kumar said the detention of the narcotics smuggler, Zaheer Ahmad, and the confiscation of a substantial quantity of heroin is a major achievement for the ANTF.
An FIR has been filed and an ongoing investigation aims to uncover the connections and activities of the apprehended smuggler, both within the Union Territory and across borders, he said.
Kumar said that heroin primarily infiltrates from across the border, and authorities are examining the means by which this particular consignment entered the region, including potential smuggling or airdropping via drones. As the investigation unfolds, additional arrests are anticipated, and the inquiry will determine whether the case has links to narco-terrorism, he said.
“This year, ANTF has initiated 15 FIRs, primarily related to the interception of large quantities of narcotics in various parts of the Union Territory. Arrests have been made not only within Jammu and Kashmir but also in other states like Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, and Delhi,” he said.
The SSP ANTF said the assets and properties established by these smugglers are being identified and seized, including the freezing of several bank accounts. A similar approach will be applied in this case, he said.
He urged the public to collaborate with law enforcement agencies in identifying and apprehending drug traffickers to protect the younger generation. “Narcotics pose a significant threat to our society, and we must unite to eradicate this menace,” he added.
