Srinagar, Oct 3 (IANS) Police in J&K’s Sopore sub-division said on Friday that it has booked two drug peddlers under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT NDPS) Act.

“Two habitual drug peddlers were booked under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (PIT NDPS Act), as part of their intensified campaign against narcotics in the region,” said a police statement.

The police official stated that the offenders have been identified as Umar Farooq Sheikh, son of Farooq Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Seeloo Sopore, currently incarcerated in Kot Bhalwal Jail, Jammu, and Abdul Hamid Mir, son of Abdul Rashid Mir, a resident of Janwara Sopore, who is presently incarcerated in District Jail Poonch.

“Both accused are repeat offenders with multiple NDPS cases against them. Despite previous arrests and preventive measures, they continued their involvement in drug trafficking,” the official said.

Police stated that in the last four days alone, six repeat offenders have been booked under the PIT NDPS Act, while six others were arrested in three separate FIRs under the NDPS Act, with the recovery of contraband.

Sopore Police reiterated their zero-tolerance approach against narcotics and urged locals to report drug-related activities to help build a drug-free Sopore.

Security forces in J&K are carrying out aggressive operations against terrorists, their Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and sympathisers to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terror.

Drug peddlers and drug smugglers are under the scanner of the security forces, as it is believed that the funds generated by drug smuggling and hawala money rackets are finally used to sustain terrorism in J&K.

The duties of anti-terrorist operations are manned by the security forces and police in J&K, while the army and the Border Security Force (BSF) guard the line of control (LoC) and the international border, respectively.

–IANS

sq/dan