Kulgam, Apr 15: Kulgam Police on Wednesday said they had arrested 10 persons in connection with drug peddling cases during a series of operations carried out across the district. Two of the accused were found to be part of a backward linkage in the narcotics supply chain, officials said.
Officials said that during naka checking at Khudwani on NHW-44, a police party from Police Station Qaimoh intercepted an auto load carrier and recovered 5.16 grams of heroin-like substance from the dashboard. The driver was arrested.
During further investigation, another accused was apprehended near Khudwani Bypass and 1.40 grams of heroin-like substance recovered, leading to the addition of Section 29 NDPS Act.
In another incident, Police Station Qazigund apprehended a suspect at Levdoora and recovered 5.05 grams of heroin-like substance.
Similarly, Police Station Devsar arrested a person at Arrigatnoo and recovered approximately 120 grams of cannabis-like substance along with a small quantity of brown sugar-like substance.
Police Post Mir Bazar intercepted a vehicle at Zadoora and recovered around 119 grams of charas powder-like substance concealed beneath the driver’s seat. The accused was arrested on the spot.
Around 20 grams of charas-like substance was recovered from them. On their disclosure, another accused was arrested and 29.08 grams of cannabis-like substance recovered, with Section 29 NDPS Act invoked.
In a separate case, Police Station Qazigund recovered approximately 1.35 kilograms of ganja-like substance from a person carrying it in a rice bag.
The cultivation was destroyed on the spot and a case registered against the landholder.
In another operation by Police Post Jawahar Tunnel, a suspect attempting to flee was apprehended and approximately 1.7 kilograms of poppy straw recovered from his possession.
All accused have been arrested and cases registered under relevant sections of the NDPS Act. Further investigation is underway to trace the source and dismantle the entire narcotics network.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Kulgam, Anayat Ali Choudhary (IPS), reiterated the police’s zero-tolerance policy against drugs and appealed to the public to cooperate by sharing information related to drug peddling, assuring strict confidentiality.
