'Illicit drug trade': Police attach commercial complex in south Kashmir's Bijbehara

Srinagar, 01 August:  Police on Thursday said that it attached a commercial complex in south Kashmir's Bijbehara as the property was acquired through illicit drug trade, especially by trafficking of psychotropic substances.

The property constructed at a prime location along the NHW-44 at Semthan Bijbehara covers an area of five-kanals and 12-marlas under Survey No. 291 Min, police said is valued at over Rs two-crores and belongs to late Abdul Rashid Dar of Tulkhan Bijbehara in south Kashmir's Anantnag district.

The individual was involved in case FIR No 210/2020 under Section 8/15-29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, registered at Bijbehara Police Station, said police in an official communique.

In September 2020, an underground room in the compound of the deceased Abdul Rashid Dar was discovered containing a substantial quantity of contraband substances, presumably poppy straw (Fukki) packed in gunny bags and plastic barrels, they said.

The investigation revealed that the deceased had acquired this contraband substance from illegal sources and stored it for further illicit sale to the local youth, thereby promoting drug addiction and its illegal trade. A total of 126 gunny bags weighing 2600 kilograms and 60 plastic barrels (1395 kgs) of the contraband substance were recovered from the spot, said police.

Police said that this firm action of attaching the commercial complex constructed with illegally acquired money would send a strong message to those involved in trafficking of narcotics and psychotropic substances.