 Atul Sharma
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 11: After successfully busting a cross-border narco-terror network, Kathua police have intensified their investigation to uncover deeper links between the gang and foreign-based narco-terror operatives. While senior officials are maintaining discretion regarding the ongoing probe, investigators are reportedly examining connections between the recently arrested network and previously apprehended narcotics operatives from the R S Pura area.
On July 9 this year, police had arrested a brother-sister duo from village Tanda in R S Pura for running an international drug cartel. The operation was reportedly being directed by Pakistan-based narco-terrorist Tanveer Shah and Canada-based smuggler Joban Kaler. The arrested duo, identified as Gurjeet Singh (son of Avtar Singh) and Navneet Kour (daughter of Avtar Singh), were found transporting heroin valued at Rs 70 lakh on a scooty bearing registration number JK02DA-9805.
Sources revealed that investigators are now probing whether the recently arrested suspects are linked to this brother-sister cartel and its overseas handlers.
In a related development, on September 1, Kathua police arrested four individuals from Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab for operating a Pakistan-based drone dropping syndicate. The crackdown, supervised by SSP Kathua Shobhit Saxena (IPS), dismantled a highly organized network that had eluded authorities for months.
The investigation, which began on July 29, 2025, was triggered by intelligence regarding a narcotics packet dropped by drone in village Chhan Tanda, Hiranagar, near the International Border. Prompt action by police and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel resulted in the recovery of approximately 447 grams of opium.
An FIR (No. 107/25) was registered under sections 8/18/19 of the NDPS Act and section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) at Hiranagar Police Station. During the investigation, two primary suspects—Sukhwinder Singh (son of late Baldev Singh, resident of Amritsar) and Arshdeep Singh alias Raja (son of Paramjit Singh, resident of Gurdaspur, Punjab)—were apprehended with the assistance of local witnesses. Both were employed on the NHAI project in Ghagwal, Samba, and acted as couriers responsible for collecting drone consignments and distributing narcotics to traffickers. Police recovered 411 grams of heroin from their possession.
Further inquiry led to the arrest of Feroz Din alias Allu (son of Sahya, resident of Rajbagh, Kathua), a receiver in contact with Pakistan-based drug suppliers. The investigation culminated with the arrest of the syndicate’s kingpin and financier from Tarn Taran, Punjab, who facilitated the transfer of drug proceeds to Pakistan through hawala channels.
Investigators uncovered that the network had already supplied over 30 kilograms of heroin—dropped by drones across Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir—to drug peddlers in adjacent districts. The syndicate employed sophisticated methods and extensive safeguards, enabling it to evade detection until now.
In another operation at Police Post Nagri-Kathua, authorities arrested five individuals linked to a separate drug trafficking case. On July 1, 2025, two accused—Murad Ali (son of Shah Din) and Bagh Hussain (son of Imam Hussain), both residents of Kathua—were arrested with cash and heroin. A detailed investigation led to the arrest of three more individuals connected through backward and forward linkages. Authorities recovered an additional 20 grams of heroin and cash from these suspects. |
