Jammu Tawi, Apr 15 : The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday said a major narcotics network with interstate and cross-border links was busted with the arrest of most-wanted drug kingpin Gulzar Ahmad alias Lau Gujjar along with several of his associates.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Jammu) Joginder Singh said Gujjar had been supplying narcotics in bulk quantities across the region, and evading capture for more than two decades, terming his arrest a major breakthrough.
“He was a hardcore criminal and a key figure in the drug supply chain. His network has now been fully identified and dismantled,” the SSP told reporters here.
He said Gujjar entered the criminal world as a bovine smuggler in 2006 before launching himself into drug trade around 2016, and scaling up operations by 2019.
A Pakistan-made pistol was recovered from his possession at the time of his arrest on April 4, the SSP said, adding that three of his associated were also arrested and more than 700 grams of heroin was seized.
Interrogation of around 10 more suspects linked to the network is underway, while around two dozen other suspects have been identified and are under surveillance, he said.
SSP Singh said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a superintendent of police rank officer has been constituted to probe the case, who would examine forward and backward linkages of the network including financial trails and assets created through illicit trade.
The police are trying to ascertain the source and the routes through which these illicit supplies entered India — whether through Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir or through other border areas, he said.
Singh said the weapon recovered from the accused drug lord indicates a Pakistan link. “We are investigating that aspect as well, pointing towards broader narco-terror angle.”
The SSP said Gujjar was wanted in at least 28 cases in Jammu district alone and dozens of FIRs are registered against him in other states under different identities.
Highlighting the crackdown against drug syndicates, he said police have so far registered 103 cases related to drug peddling in Jammu district this year.
Out of these, nine cases involve commercial quantities of contraband.
Nearly 11 kg of heroin has been seized, along with poppy husk, ganja, controlled medication capsules, and other such contraband, he said, adding around 20 driving licences have been cancelled, and nearly 200 vehicles linked to drug activities have been blacklisted.
As part of the ongoing “Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyan,” Police on Wednesday arrested 17 alleged drug peddlers in multiple operations across South and Central Kashmir, attached and froze properties worth over Rs 2.5 crore linked to narcotics trade. It also cancelled a driving licence in an NDPS case, and conducted awareness programmes.
According to the details, the arrests were made in Anantnag, Shopian, Budgam and Kulgam, with significant quantities of contraband substances including charas, heroin, cannabis and poppy straw were recovered during raids and naka checking.
An official said, “In Anantnag, police seized over 6.6 kg of charas during a raid in Srigufwara, while smaller quantities were recovered in separate naka checks at Larnoo, Pahalgam and Sangam, leading to multiple arrests. In Shopian, one person was held with around 120 grams of charas-like substance during checking in Keller.”
“In Budgam, two persons were arrested in Magam after over 1.1 kg of semi-grinded charas-like substance was recovered from their possession,” he added.
The official said, “Kulgam district saw the highest number of arrests, with 10 alleged peddlers held in separate operations. Police said heroin, charas, cannabis and poppy straw were seized at multiple checkpoints, including Khudwani, Qaimoh, Qazigund and Devsar, while poppy cultivation on a large patch of land in Sopat village was also destroyed.
As part of financial investigations into drug trafficking, police in Shopian attached a double-storey residential house valued at ₹25.8 lakh, allegedly acquired through proceeds of narcotics trade. In Anantnag, four residential properties worth around ₹2.25 crore were frozen under provisions of the NDPS Act in connection with ongoing investigations.”
Police also cancelled the driving licence of an accused involved in a narcotics case in Anantnag, citing legal provisions under the NDPS Act. Alongside enforcement measures, awareness programmes were conducted in Awantipora and Shopian in collaboration with educational institutions and civil administration.
Students and community members were sensitised about the harmful effects of drug abuse, legal consequences and the need for collective action to curb the menace.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir V K Birdi also chaired a crime review meeting of the Kashmir Zone, directing officers to improve investigation quality, raise conviction rates and intensify action against drug networks.
Officials said the IGP conducted a comprehensive review of the overall crime scenario across the Valley. District SSsP gave detailed presentations on measures taken to curb criminal activities in their respective jurisdictions.
IGP Birdi directed officers to develop a robust follow-up mechanism to ensure higher conviction rates, particularly in cases related to narcotics and militancy. He instructed district police chiefs to intensify operations against drug trafficking networks and expedite legal proceedings to dismantle the ecosystem supporting narcotics trade.
