Pakistan-linked drug module busted in J&K's Kupwara, five cops arrested

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, December 23

Five police personnel were among 17 persons arrested as a major narcotics smuggling module, originating from Pakistan, was busted in Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir, the police said on Friday.

“In one of its biggest successes against drug smuggling and peddling in the district, the police have arrested 17 persons, including five policemen, a political activist, a contractor and a shopkeeper from different areas of the districts of Kupwara and Baramulla, unearthing another narcotics smuggling module originating from Pakistan,” a police statement said. The police said while working relentlessly to identify and act against the drug peddlers, the police zeroed in on some drug peddlers active in Kupwara town and its adjoining areas. “On a tip-off, one Mohammad Waseem Najar – a poultry shop owner and a resident of Darzipura, Kupwara, was arrested with some quantity of narcotics from his house,” the police said.

Raids across dists

• Poultry shop owner of Darzipura, Kupwara, arrested
• Najar admits to being part of a group of drug peddlers, discloses names of associates
• 16 more persons arrested after raids, among them SPOs Haroon Rasheed Bhat, Irshad Ahmed Khan, Sajad Ahmad Bhat, Zahid Maqbool Dar & constable Abdul Majeed Bhat
• A political activist, Ishfaq Habib Khan, also among the arrested persons

After preliminary investigation, Najar admitted to being part of a big group of drug peddlers and disclosed names of some of his associates belonging to the district as well as from the Uri area of Baramulla, a police spokesman said. “Raids were conducted at various places across the district and 16 more persons were arrested,” he added.

The spokesman said among the arrested were five policemen who were identified as special police officers (SPOs) Haroon Rasheed Bhat, Irshad Ahmed Khan, Sajad Ahmad Bhat, Zahid Maqbool Dar and constable Abdul Majeed Bhat.

A political activist, Ishfaq Habib Khan, was also among the arrested persons. Others who were arrested include Tahir Ahmed Malik, a resident of Rigipora; Khursheed Ahmed Khan, a dry fruits shopkeeper; and his son Imtiyaz Khan; Tamheed Ahmed Khan, a Pakistan-based terrorist handler; Roman Mushtaq Bhat, a resident of Uri in Baramulla; and Asif Rashid Hajam, a resident of Batergam in Kupwara; the spokesman said.

He said Abid Ali Bhat, a resident of Bohipora Kupwara, Tanveer Ahmad Wani, a contractor, Nadeem Javed of Uri Baramulla and Tahir Ahmad Khan, a resident of Boniyar in Baramulla, were also arrested.

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