STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: The J&K police has recovered 49 kg of drugs from near the LoC in Poonch district, foiling Pakistan’s nefarious design to push the contraband into the Union territory, an official said on Sunday.
The police recovered the drug from Bagyaldara near LoC on Saturday following a three-day search operation which also involved a brief gunfight with suspected smugglers who fled after concealing the consignment, Poonch’s Senior Superintendent of Police Rohit Baksotra said on Sunday.
He said the search operation was launched on late May 25 night following a tip-off about a possible bid by the enemy to smuggle the contraband into the country.
Following the tip-off, a detailed strategy for the search operation was evolved keeping in mind the difficult terrain of the border and the operation was launched jointly by the Army’s Poonch Brigade and the police in the general area of Bagyaldara near the LOC, Baksotra added.
In the intervening night of May 25 and 26, some suspicious movement was noticed which was challenged by alert troops which, however, came under fire. The active ambush party retaliated but taking advantage of the terrain and the darkness, the suspected anti-national elements managed to flee away, the SSP said.
He said a massive search operation was launched in the area using quadcopters and sniffer dogs with action being backed by a well-integrated surveillance grid and extensive domination of areas close to the LoC.
The operation led to the spotting of two big gunny bags wrapped in cloths near a house on May 28 and on being checked the bags were found containing 32 polythene packets, each containing about 1.4 kg narcotic-like substance with a total weight of 49 kgs, Baksotra said.
The packets were having stamps of Shafiq Hilmand Karwan Al-saadat Afgaan Milat (999) and Superstar international 2017, the SSP said, adding a case under the relevant sections of law was registered at Poonch police station and an investigation was taken up.
Terming the recovery a big success , the SSP said two major catches were also recovered by the forces in January.
No one was arrested in connection with the recovery so far, he said, adding that massive searches in the general area are still going on.
Baksotra said the Army and the police are fully alert to frustrate the nefarious designs of Pakistan.
Pakistan is trying to smuggle narcotics to ruin the lives of youngsters and harm the country. We are alert to the threat, he said.