Daijiworld Media Network - Srinagar
Srinagar, Jul 13: In a major crackdown on narcotics trafficking in South Kashmir, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Srinagar Zone, has arrested a former militant and his aide, dismantling a drug smuggling network operating in Anantnag district, officials said on Sunday.
Acting on specific intelligence, the NCB carried out a targeted operation in the Bijbehara area between July 8 and 9. The raid led to the seizure of 28 kilograms of poppy straw and the arrest of Shabir, a former member of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), and his associate Amin.
Following interrogation, the agency recovered an additional 11 kilograms of poppy straw from Shabir’s residence in Nowshera, Srigufwara, bringing the total seizure to 39 kilograms.
Shabir, who was previously arrested in 1996 for terror activities and released in 2004, is now accused of turning to narcotics trafficking. Investigators believe he sourced contraband from local poppy cultivators and facilitated its movement through illicit interstate routes.
Amin has a prior record of involvement in drug-related offences, including cases filed in Himachal Pradesh in 2017 and another in Anantnag district, in which he was linked to the seizure of over 523 kilograms of poppy straw. He was reportedly out on bail in both cases at the time of his arrest.
This operation underscores the expanding role of the NCB’s Srinagar unit, set up to enhance the Centre’s crackdown on drug trafficking in Jammu and Kashmir.
Authorities are now working to trace the broader network linked to the two men, identifying suppliers, distributors and potential interstate connections.
Meanwhile, the NCB has appealed to the public for support in its anti-drug efforts. Citizens can share information by calling the MANAS National Narcotics Helpline at 1933. The agency assured that all information will be kept confidential.
In its statement, the NCB reaffirmed its commitment to protecting young people from the harm of drug abuse and ensuring stronger coordination among enforcement agencies in the Union Territory.