SSP: Before drug seizure in Poonch, security men fired at

Jammu, May 29

A day after security men seized around 44 kg drugs near the Line of Control in Poonch, SSP Rohit Baskotra said the search operation was started after smugglers opened fire at security personnel on the night intervening May 25 and 26.

“On May 25, an operation was launched on the basis of inputs regarding smuggling of contraband. A search operation was launched by the Army and the police in Bagyaldara area near the LoC. Noticing suspicious movement, troops challenged the smugglers who opened fire,” the SSP said at a press conference.

Three-day search

• Security men on Saturday seized 44 kg drugs in Poonch after three days of search.
• SSP Rohit Baskotra said the search was started after smugglers fired at security men.

He said the criminals fled taking advantage of the terrain and the darkness. The operation was planned tactfully keeping in mind the terrain and other conditions of the border which continued for about three days, he said.

During the massive search operation, quadcopters and sniffer dogs were also pressed into action. Two gunny bags, covered with clothes, were found near a house. “As many as 32 polythene packets, each carrying about 1.4 kg drug-like substance, were found,” said an official statement of the police.

The packets were having stamps that read ‘Shafiq Hilmand Karwan Al-Saadat Afgaan Milat (999)’ and ‘Super Star International 2017’.

The Poonch police are investigating the case.