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| Direct drug supply to Kashmir exposed: 2 Punjab peddlers nabbed with heroin | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 24: In a major breakthrough that has sent shockwaves through narcotics networks operating in the Valley, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Kashmir has arrested two Punjab-based drug peddlers in separate operations in Srinagar and Budgam districts, busting what officials describe as a direct supply chain of heroin into Jammu and Kashmir. The arrests have lent credence to intelligence reports suggesting that traffickers are no longer relying solely on local middlemen but are personally transporting narcotics across state lines — a development that raises serious concerns about the deepening nexus between inter-state drug cartels and narco-terror networks. According to officials, the first operation was carried out in the Gangbugh area of Srinagar following specific and credible intelligence inputs. ANTF teams apprehended Ajay Kumar, a resident of Gurdaspur district in Punjab, and recovered heroin from his possession. Preliminary investigation indicates that the accused had allegedly sourced the contraband from Punjab and was planning to distribute it within Srinagar city. In a separate, equally significant operation in Budgam district, ANTF personnel arrested another Punjab resident, Jhon Masih, and seized heroin from him. Both arrests were the result of targeted surveillance and intelligence-driven action against inter-state narcotics trafficking. Police have registered FIR No. 02/2026 and FIR No. 03/2026 under Sections 8/21 of the NDPS Act at Police Station ANTF Kashmir. The accused have been taken into custody, and investigators are now probing the forward and backward linkages of the supply chain to identify other operatives and possible handlers involved in the network. Officials said the back-to-back arrests point towards a worrying pattern of direct cross-border drug movement aimed at flooding the Valley with heroin, with security agencies also examining potential links to narco-terror funding channels. Reiterating its zero-tolerance approach, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force, J&K, said it remains committed to intensifying its crackdown on drug smuggling and dismantling networks operating behind the illicit trade. Authorities have appealed to the public to remain vigilant and share credible information about drug-related activities, stressing that community cooperation is crucial to protecting the youth and ensuring a drug-free Jammu and Kashmir. |
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