Pak agencies trying to smuggle narcotic substances into J&K in large quantities: DGP

JAMMU: Pakistani agencies are trying to smuggle narcotic substances into Jammu and Kashmir in large quantities and the police has taken various counter measures to deal with the challenge, DGP Dilbag Singh said on Saturday.

He said 1,693 cases were registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 173 peddlers were taken into preventive custody under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and 91 others were detained under prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act during the year 2022.

“Pakistani agencies are trying to smuggle drugs into J&K in large quantities but we have taken numerous measures to counter the challenge. They are using smugglers, touts and even drones to push the narcotic substances into this side,” Singh told reporters here.

A total of 1,693 cases under NDPS were registered this year which is more than 130 compared to the last year, the Director General of Police said.

“A total of 212 kgs heroin, 383 kgs charas, 12 kgs brown sugar, 215 kgs ganja and 10,746 kgs poppy straw were seized, besides huge quantities of synthetic and other drugs in 2022.

“In addition, over Rs 60 lakh in cash was also seized. It is in addition to the cash seized in Udhampur which is under investigation of the anti-terror State Investigation Agency,” he said.

Over 1.91 crore cash was recovered from a car in Udhampur district in August.

As part of the strict action against drug peddling, Singh said, 176 traffickers were slapped with PSA this year compared to only 23 detained under the law last year.

In addition, 91 others were booked under the PITNDPS Act, he said.

The police chief said a total of 29,834 crime cases were registered in J&K this year, but the disposal of these cases has also increased manifold with the majority of the cases chargesheeted in the court of law. Elaborating about crimes against women, he said 2,285 cases were registered across the UT. It is a matter of satisfaction that women police stations have been set up in all districts to deal with such types of cases, he added. (PTI)