Punjab-linked network supplying 80% of Jammu drugs busted; 20 arrested

Jammu, Jun 17: Jammu and Kashmir police have successfully dismantled nearly 80 per cent of the drug supply chain feeding narcotics into the Union Territory, while simultaneously uncovering a narco-terror nexus with links extending to Punjab and across the border, a senior police officer said on Wednesday.

Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Joginder Singh said the busting of the network resulted in the arrest of around 20 accused, including three kingpins of the narco-terrorism in Amritsar linked to criminal Gulzar Ahmad alias “Lau Gujjar”, who was arrested in April and subsequently booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

A large quantity of arms, ammunition, narcotics and cash were recovered from the possession of the arrested kingpins — Surajdeep Singh alias “Suraj”, Harpreet Singh alias “Raju” and Jaspreet in Amritsar, the officer said, lauding the active cooperation of Punjab police in busting the network.

“The three were responsible for supplying nearly 80 per cent of narcotic substances to the Jammu region. The accused were backward links of Gujjar and his network operating in J&K which had numerous FIRs pending against them,” the SSP said.

Singh said the Punjab operation was the culmination of months of sustained investigation into the narcotics ecosystem operating in Jammu and adjoining districts. The operation led to the arrest of key suppliers who, according to police investigations, were responsible for supplying nearly 60-70 per cent of the narcotics reaching Jammu.

“Over the past several months, we have systematically identified, dismantled and arrested members of various supply-chain modules. During the analysis of both backward and forward linkages, it emerged that most of the supply routes traced back to Punjab.

“Further investigation revealed that only a handful of individuals, operating under multiple identities and phone numbers, were controlling the bulk of the narcotics supply to Jammu and neighbouring districts,” the SSP said.

He said the operation was carried out with the active cooperation of the Punjab Police, which played a crucial role in identifying, arresting and handing over the accused. “The level of coordination between the Jammu Police and the Punjab Police was exemplary and proved instrumental in the success of the operation.” The officer said around 20 individuals connected to the network have so far been identified, with the majority already arrested.

“All these individuals were directly linked to the main accused, and the entire supply chain was functioning through this network,” he said.

Highlighting the broader anti-drug campaign being undertaken by the police, Singh said the ongoing drive forms part of the ongoing 100-day “Nasha Mukht Abhiyan” under the leadership of Lt Governor Manoj Sinha.

He said police efforts have focused not only on disrupting supply but also on curbing demand.

“In the last 65 days alone, the Jammu Police has registered around 280 NDPS-related cases. Of these, nearly 140 cases were registered against drug consumers and small-scale peddlers.

“Earlier, we relied primarily on awareness programmes to reduce demand, but when we found that awareness alone was not yielding adequate results. We adopted a more aggressive approach against consumers and local peddlers,” he said.

Drawing attention to the security implications of drug trafficking, he said investigations into the case of Gujjar had reinforced concerns about narco-terrorism.

“The backward linkages uncovered during that investigation eventually led the police to Punjab-based suppliers arrested in the latest operation. When searches were conducted (in Amritsar), recoveries included not only narcotics, cash and vehicles but also sophisticated weapons such as an AK-47 rifle, an AK-56 rifle, a pistol and ammunition.

“These recoveries clearly indicate how drug trafficking networks are being used to push vulnerable youth first towards addiction and later towards criminal and potentially terrorist activities,” he said.

Explaining the modus operandi of the network, the SSP said narcotics were smuggled across the border and received by handlers in Punjab. The consignments were then either collected directly by local suppliers from Jammu or transported through couriers.

Appealing to the public, the officer urged citizens to continue supporting the police in the final phase of its 100-day anti-drug campaign.

“The information being provided by members of the public has been invaluable. We request people to remain vigilant and immediately share any information related to narcotics or suspicious activities so that strict action can be taken. Together, we can make Jammu drug-free and defeat the designs of those attempting to exploit our youth,” he said. (PTI)