Srinagar, June 17 (IANS) In a major operation, J&K Police said on Wednesday it has arrested kingpins of narco-terrorism in Amritsar, Punjab, linked to the Lau Gujjar network, and seized an AK rifle, pistols, live rounds and 1.5 kg of heroin.

A police statement said Jammu Police arrested three persons, Surajdeep Singh alias Suraj, resident of Jandiala, Harpreet Singh alias Raju, and Jaspreet, in Amritsar under FIRs 51/26 of PS Miran Sahib, 58/26 of PS Bishnah, 137/26 of PS Nagrota and 48/26 of PS Gangyal.

The three were responsible for supplying nearly 80 per cent of narcotic substances to the Jammu district. They were identified as backward links of Lau Gujjar’s network operating in J&K, with numerous FIRs pending against them.

Arrests in his network had earlier led to questioning of Lateef, Bachu, Majeeda and Mushtaq, who revealed Suraj and Raju’s involvement.

Police said the accused supplied narcotics to nearly 20 forward links in Jammu and adjoining districts of Samba and Kathua. The raid resulted in the seizure of weaponry, narcotics, logistics equipment and luxury vehicles used in illicit operations.

Recovered items included one AK-47 rifle with 40 live rounds, one Star pistol with 29 live cartridges, four live 12-bore cartridges, approximately 1.020 kg of narcotics, an electronic weighing machine, packing materials, Rs 11 lakh in cash, three mobile phones and three vehicles: a Mahindra Thar, Honda Amaze and Swift car.

The operation was conducted with the full cooperation of the Punjab Police. Legal proceedings are underway.

In another anti-drug operation, Baramulla Police destroyed seized narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances related to 17 NDPS cases at the authorised destruction facility of M/s Kashmir Health Care System, IGC Lassipora, Pulwama.

The disposal was carried out under the directions of the Hon’ble Special Court (NDPS), Baramulla, and in accordance with Section 52A of the NDPS Act and NDPS Rules, 2022. The Drug Disposal Committee supervised the process after all legal formalities were completed.

The destroyed contraband included heroin, charas, ganja, Lykarex-T and Blurex-T seized in various NDPS cases. Baramulla Police reiterated its commitment to strict enforcement of the NDPS Act and efforts to eliminate the drug menace.

–IANS

sq/dan