J&K: NIA arrests four drug traffickers in Handwara Narco-Terrorism Case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested four drug traffickers in Handwara in a Narco-Terrorism case. The 4 peddlers-- Altaf Ahmed Shah, Showkat Ahmad Parray, Mudasir Ahmad Dar, and Amin Allaie were arrested as a part of an alleged drug syndicate that has been operating in Jammu and Kashmir in a case that pertains to the seizure of 21 kgs of Heroin and Rs 1.35 crore cash.

The case was first registered by the NIA after the Handwara Police busted 2 Kg of Heroin and Rs 20 lakh while intercepting a vehicle from a police Naka at Kairo Bridge in June 2020. While the one person present in the car was arrested, the NIA later expanded its investigation filing a case against 6 accused at the NIA Special Court in Jammu.

As per the investigative body, the investigation so far has revealed that the accused person were involved in cross-border smuggling of heroin in huge quantities from Pakistani and were supplying the same in J&K and other parts of the country. 

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Read: NIA Files Chargesheet Against Zonal Commander Of Jharkhand Based Terror Group TPC

The drug syndicate in the UT is also said to be in communication with operatives of LeT and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, thereby unearthing a larger conspiracy by Pakistan to push terror and drugs onto the Indian soil.

Notably, the fresh arrests come days after Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh termed Handwara and Kupwara districts as 'gateways of nefarious designs' while inaugurating additional facilities for security forces in the region. 

"Handwara and Kupwara districts are the gateways that have been used during the past for nefarious designs. There is a lot of responsibility is on the shoulders of the J&K Police and added that we have to continue our services to maintain the peaceful atmosphere in our Union Territory," said the J&K DGP.

Read: Handwara, Kupwara Districts Are Gateways Of Nefarious Designs: J&K DGP

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