Two Punjab-based drug peddlers arrested in J-K

Two Punjab-based drug peddlers were arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police's Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) on Tuesday in separate incidents in Srinagar and Budgam districts of the valley.

The arrested were identified as Ajay Kumar and Johon Masih, both residents of Mustafabad Jattan village in Gurdaspur, police said.

Kumar was held from the Gangbugh area of the city here and 42 grams of heroin was allegedly recovered from his possession, a police spokesman said.

Preliminary investigation reveals that the accused had procured the contraband substance from Punjab and intended to distribute the same in the Gangbugh area, he said.

Masih was arrested in Budgam, and the ANTF recovered 37 grams of heroin from his possession.

Cases have been registered against both the accused, he added.

Both operations were carried out based on specific intelligence inputs developed by ANTF Kashmir regarding the involvement of the accused persons in inter-state narcotics trafficking, the spokesman said.

Further investigation is underway to uncover the linkages of the drug supply chain and identify other individuals involved in the illicit trade, he said.