Heroin worth Rs 20 crore seized, three arrested

In a major operation against drug trafficking, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Tuesday that they have seized 2,695 grams of heroin worth Rs 20 crore and arrested three key figures of a heroin smuggling ring.

The police in north Kashmir’s Baramulla said that acting on a tip-off, a police team detained Nazim Din from Zamboor Pattan Uri during a surprise checkpoint at Khanpora on October 21.

Upon search, officers found 519 gm of heroin concealed in a polythene bag under his armpit, the police said.

During initial questioning, Nazim disclosed his involvement in drug trafficking, allegedly under the influence of an unidentified individual from downtown Srinagar referred to as “Mir Sb.”

The police said according to his statement, he and his associate, Waqar Ahmad Khawaja, from Tangdhar, Kupwara, had received a consignment of heroin on October 17 from a woman in Srinagar.

The duo used a vehicle owned by Waqar to transport the contraband from Srinagar to Handwara, distributing the drugs among local associates, the police said.

Following this, The Baramulla police, with the assistance of a magistrate, apprehended Waqar Ahmad along with his vehicle and seized one more bag of heroin weighing 475 gm from the car’s boot.

Further investigations led to the arrest of a third accomplice, Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, from Handwara on October 27. Upon his arrest, a search of his residence uncovered four additional packets of heroin, totalling 1,701 gm, concealed in his wardrobe.

“The cumulative seizure of contraband in this operation stands at 2,695 gm. The value of the seized drug is Rs 20 crore in the international market,” the Baramulla police said.

According to the police, the seized vehicle used in transporting the drugs has been confiscated, and “all suspects are currently under police remand. Investigation is going on to identify other members of the trafficking network”, including the Srinagar-based figure suspected of orchestrating local distribution.