Police bust major ‘cross-border’ drug racket, seize 8 kg heroin worth Rs 32 Cr

Srinagar: Police on Wednesday said they busted a major drug network and arrested two key traffickers in Srinagar.
Addressing a press conference here, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar, Imtiyaz Hussain said the seizure was part of a major crackdown on cross-border drug trafficking.
He said 8 kilograms of heroin were seized and two key drug traffickers were arrested during a routine checkpoint operation at Barthana Crossing in Qamarwari.
The SSP said the operation was carried out by a police team from Police Post Qamarwari, who intercepted a Tata Sumo vehicle bearing registration number JK05D-1837 at the checkpoint.
Upon a thorough search, 6 kilograms of heroin were found hidden beneath the driver’s seat, he said, adding that 2 kilograms were recovered from the suspects during a personal search, with each carrying 1 kilogram in polythene bags.
The officer said two persons from north Kashmir’s Kupwara have been arrested. He identified them as Anas Ajaz Awan, a resident of Dildar Tangdar, Kupwara, and Zahid Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Channipora, Tangdar, Kupwara.
Police have registered an FIR (No. 03/2025) under sections 8/21 and 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Parimpora, the SSP said, adding that the seized vehicle and narcotics have been taken as evidence, and further investigations are underway to identify other individuals involved in the racket.
Meanwhile, preliminary investigations suggest that the seized heroin was smuggled from Pakistan as part of a cross-border drug trafficking network, SSP Hussain said. “Police are now pursuing both backward and forward linkages to dismantle the syndicate, and the drugs seized from their possession are worth around Rs: 32 crores in the international market,” he said.
Hussain said the police department has a zero-tolerance policy towards narcotics. He called on the people to support the police’s efforts to create a drug-free society. “We urge citizens to share any information related to drug trafficking or suspicious activities with the nearest police station or by dialling 112,” he added