Intensifying the war against the drug mafia in the Union Territory, Jammu and Kashmir Police freezes bank accounts of notorious narcotic smugglers and seized vehicles and gold items. During the last four days second such action has been taken against those involved in narco-terrorism in Kashmir Valley.
As narco-terrorism from Pakistan has emerged as a big challenge for the government in the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Police had earlier announced that it will attach properties of those involved in drug trafficking under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
According to reports, during a financial investigation in case FIR No.01 of 2022, a specialized unit of J&K Police found various bank accounts, some vehicles, and gold items worth lakhs linked with the narco trade. All the accounts have been frozen and vehicle and gold items have been seized.
Notably, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Kashmir recovered narcotics packed in empty apple boxes and concealed in a truck bearing registration No. PB65AK-1791 at Al-Stop Mir Bazaar Anantnag on 26/09/2022.
The truck driver along with the conductor was arrested on the spot and the vehicle involved in the commission of the crime has also been seized.
The role of a Ludhiana-based drug lord emerged during the investigation
According to police, during the investigation with regard to the backward/forward linkage of the recovered contraband involvement of other South Kashmir-based drug peddlers and a Ludhiana-based drug peddler surfaced in the case.
"The Ludhiana-based drug peddler a kingpin of narco trade has been found financing the illegal trade of narcotics in Jammu Kashmir and Punjab. Financial investigation under section 68-F read with 68-E of NDPS Act was carried out and Bank Account Statements/property details of the involved drug peddlers were obtained and analyzed", police said.
It surfaced that the Ludhiana-based drug peddler namely Sunder has transferred a huge amount worth lakhs into the bank accounts of involved drug peddlers Gowhar and Nazir who were arrested in the instant case.
Besides huge amounts worth lakhs were found in the bank accounts of these two South Kashmir-based drug peddlers and their family members. Bank accounts of the drug peddlers were feezed and vehicles and gold ornaments were seized by the ANTF.
According to police, identifying and freezing the illegally acquired property of drug peddlers who are dealing in illegal narco trade in an organized manner has affected their illegal trade badly by depriving them of proceeds of narcotics. Other illegally acquired properties of some notorious drug smugglers have also been identified and soon legal action will be taken against them under the law.
Properties worth crores were seized in Shopian on Saturday
Earlier, District Magistrate Shopian on Saturday ordered the seizure and freezing of illegally-acquired properties of five drug traffickers. It said the action has been taken under the provisions of Chapter VA of the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
As per the orders, the said properties shall not be transferred for any other use undertaken on it without the permission of the District Magistrate, the competent authority under the NDPS Act, in Shopian.
The accused whose properties were seized were given a reasonable period to prove credentials and produce the requisite documents that substantiate that the seized properties are legal. The seized properties include illegally acquired buildings and land from the proceeds of the narcotics trade.
