Srinagar: Police on Friday claimed to have arrested two hardcore smugglers and recovered narcotics from them, believed to be smuggled from across the border, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, officials said.

Police said during the intervening night of February 23 and 24, based on specific input developed by local police, a total of 5 packets of heroin like narcotics weighing 4.588 Kilograms were recovered from Karnah area of Kupwara in two separate incidents.

Based on specific input about narcotics smuggling in Taad area one suspect identified as Farooq Ahmad Shah, a resident of Panjatara Karnah was picked up for questioning.

On his confession and disclosure, Kupwara Police along with Army unit 6 JAK Rifles recovered 3 packets of heroine-like narcotics weighing 2.674 Kgs (with packing) from a hiding place near his house in presence of an Executive Magistrate.

The accused was arrested and further investigation in the case is going on and more arrests are expected, police said.

In another similar case, Police in Karnah picked up a suspect identified as Raja Aftab Alias Babu a resident of Teethwal was detained for questioning.

On his confession and disclosure , two packets of heroin-like narcotics weighing about 1.914 kgs (with packing) were recovered by Kupwara Police along with Army unit 6 JAK Rifles in presence of an Executive Magistrate near his house at Teetwal.

He has been arrested and further investigation is ongoing.

During the Preliminary investigations it has surfaced that both the persons are hardcore narcotic smugglers and had received these consignments from across the LoC to promote drug addiction to earn quick money and to further the cause of terrorism in J&K.

Aftab’s brother Zahoor who is residing in Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) after illegally crossing the Line of Control (LoC) in the past is suspected to be supplying the narcotics to his brother where as one more of the brothers is already facing trial in a narcotics smuggling case registered by Police Station Nagrota Jammu in the year 2018.

Farooq Shah is also in close contact with POJK based handlers in this illicit trade since past quite some time.

(With UNI inputs)