NCB Srinagar busts major Charas smuggling racket in south Kashmir, three held

Srinagar, Sep 13: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Srinagar Zone, has dismantled a major narcotics smuggling network in South Kashmir with the arrest of three persons, including a key supplier and two habitual offenders.

Officials said the operation was carried out on the basis of specific intelligence inputs in the Bijbehara area of Anantnag district on 19 August. The raid resulted in the recovery of about 10.735 kilograms of charas, one of the largest seizures of the current year, and the arrest of three accused: Firdous, a resident of Bijbehara, Jan Mohammad Baba of Lal Bazaar, Srinagar, and Mohammad Lateef of Srigufwara, Anantnag.

Verification of their background revealed that Firdous had previously been booked under the NDPS Act in cases registered at Police Station Bijbehara and NCB Jammu, while Jan Mohammad Baba was also earlier involved in a case registered by NCB Jammu. Investigations further established that the seized consignment was procured from Mohammad Lateef, who was facilitating its inter-state transportation through illicit channels.

The establishment of the NCB office in Srinagar, officials said, is part of the Union Government’s wider strategy to strengthen anti-narcotics enforcement in Jammu and Kashmir. They added that NCB remains committed to disrupting the drug trade, protecting youth from its harmful impact, and ensuring stronger coordination among enforcement agencies across the Union Territory.

Authorities have appealed to citizens to cooperate in the fight against drug trafficking and share information about narcotics activities through the MANAS National Narcotics Helpline number 1933, assuring that the identity of informants will be kept confidential. [KNT]