Major Pak-linked narcotics racket busted, two held with 3 kg heroin in Jammu

Police on Saturday claimed to have busted a Pakistan-linked narcotics racket with the arrest of two peddlers here with three kilograms of heroin, valued at around Rs 15 crore.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Jammu, Joginder Singh, said a patrol party led by sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), south, and the SHO of Gandhi Nagar police station arrested the duo from near a crematorium in Shastri Nagar.

In total, 3.260 kg of heroin was seized from the peddlers, he said, terming the recovery a “big catch” and a “significant blow” to drug traffickers in the region.

Police are probing the matter after registering a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the officer said.

“The peddlers are part of a major racket linked to Pakistan-based and Punjab-based smugglers. At least seven more members of the gang have been identified, and efforts are on to bring all the culprits to book,” the SSP told reporters here.

Explaining the modus operandi of the racket, he said the traffickers used to smuggle narcotics through drones into Punjab from Pakistan and send couriers from Jammu to receive the consignment and distribute it here.

“The arrested accused is part of the supply chain, and this is the seventh racket busted by police this year. So far, 22 peddlers were arrested,” the police officer said.

Seeking public support to eradicate the menace of drugs from society, the SSP requested people to report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station. “Those involved in drug trafficking will not be spared,” he said.

Meanwhile, a police spokesperson said dozens of bank accounts involved in the drugs trade in Poonch district have been seized.

The action comes as part of an intensified crackdown on narcotics networks operating in the region, aimed at disrupting their financial lifelines and curbing the flow of illegal funds, he said.

During financial investigations, many accounts under scrutiny were found to have unusually high-volume transactions that raised suspicion, the spokesperson said.

He said these accounts were used to allegedly route proceeds from the sale and distribution of narcotics across multiple districts.

By freezing the bank accounts, authorities have effectively prevented the accused from withdrawing or diverting money that could have been used to further fuel illegal activities, the spokesperson said.

He said this action of the police is part of a broader strategy to dismantle the economic foundations of drug trafficking groups by targeting not only the traffickers but also their financial channels, associates, and facilitators.

Further investigations are under way, and more seizures and attachments may follow as the financial investigations continue, he said, adding that police have also attached immovable properties worth crores as proceeds of drug sales in Poonch district two days ago.