NEW DELHI: Amid fresh security threats from across the western borders ahead of the Independence Day, senior officials in the security establishment have indicated that that Pakistani drug syndicates’ activities in Jammu and Kashmir has become a matter of major concern.
Referring to the recent arrest of bank manager Afaq Ahmad Wani from Handwara in Srinagar in connection with a case of seizure of 21 kg of heroin and cash from the members of a drug syndicate operating in the Union Territory, the officials noted that that heroin and other psychotropic substances have been smuggled into India to fund terror activities and this was ‘just the crust of the deep rooted melancholy.
While investigating the Handwara drug case, the anti-terror probing agency NIA has revealed that the accused were smuggling drugs and psychotropic substances in huge quantities through the Line of Control (LoC) and the proceeds of the sale were used to finance terror activities in the Kashmir Valley, the officials said.
A senior security officer, however, said, “The narco-terror modules operating across the western border have been gradually trying to expand their foot prints in India and they would be posing a major security concerns in days to come.
This is very much evident from the fact that in past few years, the drug syndicates have moved from land to sea routes.”
The officials said, the threats from these narco-terror syndicates are also looming over the India’s neighbouring countries as several Pakistanis have been arrested on charges of narcotics trade in Sri Lanka and Maldives.
“In March, eight Pakistani nationals were arrested after 400 kg heroin was recovered from two foreign vessels by the Sri Lankan Navy,” a senior Intelligence Bureau official said.
In its reports sent to the Government, the intelligence agencies have explained the routing of banned substances. According to a source in the Intel agency, the raw opium is being sourced from Afghanistan and then transported and processed at Faisalabad and Lahore and then sent to Karachi or Gwadar for transporting them into India through sea route, they said, adding that the proceeds of smuggled stuff are being used for sponsoring terror activities of groups including the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and a few other terror outfits who are trying to re-establish their hold in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country. (AGENCIES)
Follow our WhatsApp channel