Cross-border Narco racket busted in Akhnoor area
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) on Thursday busted an international cross-border narco racket in the Akhnoor area, arrested three smugglers, including an ex-serviceman, and seized heroin worth Rs 40 crore.
“On July 19, we got specific information regarding some consignment of heroin being transported from Khour to Akhnoor area. We laid Nakas (checkpoints) at several places and during the search, we intercepted a specific Scooty, bearing registration number JK02BA-0104, driven by Naresh Kumar alias Kurkaa, son of Mohan Lal, resident of Village Mangiyal Avtara, Tehsil, Khour, Jammu. The number of the Scotty had already been shared with us. During the search of the Scotty, we recovered one packet of heroin weighing approx 1 Kg with a specific 777 marking that indicated its cross border links,” Senior Superintendent of Police ANTF, Vinay Sharma said while talking to reporters here.
The SSP said that the accused Naresh Singh was arrested and put to sustained questioning during which he revealed about another packet of heroin that was concealed near the IB.
“For three days, since July 19, we continued our search operation despite heavy rains and flood-like situation along the IB with close cooperation of the Army,” the SSP said, adding that when nothing came out of the searches, the Naresh Singh was put to further questioning and he made a mention of two other persons who knew the particular place where the narcotics were concealed near the IB.
“The two accused, Kamal Singh alias Kali, son of Bakil Singh, and Balbir Singh alias Kala (Ex-army personal), son of Jagga Singh, both residents of Rishi Colony, Khour, were detained and they were questioned. They admitted that they have concealed the heroin near the IB”, the SSP said, adding that the accused took the team to a site near International Border, Garar Khour where another packet of heroin weighing approx 1 Kg, bearing the 777 mark, was recovered, which again indicated towards cross border links.
Sharma said the modus operandi seems that Pakistani drug smugglers were throwing drug packets towards fixed places along the International Border where from the smugglers would pick them up.
A case under relevant sections of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act has been registered in the instant case, he said adding that the ANTF is investigating more linkages and is expecting more arrests.