Kupwara: A narco-terror module was busted in Trehgam area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district while four persons involved in the smuggling have been arrested, Police said Saturday.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kupwara, Yougal Manhas told Greater Kashmir that Police received specific information that a Punjab-based narco smuggler had arrived in the district at a pre-decided location to take narcotics consignments.
He said that the Police and Army launched a joint search operation in the Zurhama area of Trehgam.
Manhas said that during the operation four persons identified as Yousuf Bokra, son of Suba Bokra of Rashanpora, Kralpora, Showkat Ahmad Khatana, son of Abdul Rashid Khatana of Meliyal, Kupwara, Maroof Ahmad Mir, son of Muhammad Rafiq Mir of Jumagaad, presently at Zurhama Kupwara and Laba Masih, son of Sadiq Masih of Awaan Ramdas Ajnala of Awaan, Amritsar, were arrested when they were in the process of exchanging smuggled narcotics and cash.
"During the preliminary investigation, it has come to the fore that the narcotic consignment has been sent by two PoK-based terrorist handlers of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) Manzoor Ahmad Mir, son of Abdul Rashid Mir and Asad Mir, son of Diya Mir, both originally residents of Jumagund, Kupwara who have exfiltrated to PoK in the early 1990s to join terrorist ranks,” he said. “Both over a period of time have become terrorist handlers of LeT mainly acting as launching commanders besides pushing narcotics and weapons to sustain terrorist activities in J&K.”
Manhas said that so far eight packets of narcotics (heroine-like substance) weighing about 8 kg along with Rs 5 lakh cash had been recovered from the possession of the arrested persons.
