Jammu, Jun 1 (IANS): Two Punjab-based drug peddlers were arrested on Thursday by police in J&K's Rajouri district.

Police said that they busted an inter-state narcotics peddling racket by arresting two Punjab-based drug peddlers.

"Around 22 kgs of heroin-like substance having high monetary value in the market have been recovered from them. The arrests were made in the Sunderbani area of Rajouri district and investigation into forward and backward linkages of the case has been started," the police said.

SSP Rajouri, Amritpal Singh, said that a specific intelligence input was received by police that two suspects are in transit from Rajouri towards Jammu in a vehicle in late evening hours on Wednesday and acting swiftly police teams were put on alert across the district.

"The police said existing nakas were strengthened to intercept them while some mobile MCVPs were also established. At around 9.30 p.m., a vehicle bearing registration number AJK01AB 5470 was intercepted on Jammu Rajouri Poonch highway at police naka near ITI Sunderbani," the police added.

"Two Punjab-based persons were travelling in the vehicle which was put to frisking during which a large quantity of heroin-like substance was recovered which is approximately 22 kilograms. This huge consignment has been recovered from possession of these two persons who have been identified as Onkar Singh, and Shamsher Singh, both residents of Punjab's Gurdaspur District," police said.

The SSP Rajouri termed this as a major success for police on the anti-narcotics front, asserting that the narco militancy aspect of this recovery is also being probed.