Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 12: Terming it as one of the biggest catches in the recent past, the J&K Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has recovered around 1000 kilograms of poppy straw worth over Rs 65 lakh from Sonamarg in district Ganderbal and Leh.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Anti Narcotic Task Force Mubashir Rasool while addressing a press conference here regarding the matter said that 2 trucks bearing registration number PB07AL- 2229, and HPSSB- 0711 were intercepted and identified on September 11 near Sonamarg with the help of district police Ganderbal.
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“After their identification along with the officials from Legal Metrology Department, Executive Magistrate, our team recovered around 800 kilograms of a narcotic substance and the vehicles were seized while as the drivers were arrested,” he said
As the police carried out the initial investigation after seizure of the narcotic substance, it came to the fore that a third truck carrying another consignment had already left towards Leh, prompting the special task force to act swiftly after informing Ladakh police about the same.
“The information was shared with the Ladakh police and the third truck was also intercepted and around 200 kgs of poppy straw were recovered from the truck,” he said.
He said that the operation is one of the biggest in the recent past while adding that further investigation in the matter was going on.
“In this regard, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and we are hopeful of more arrests after forward and backward linkages are identified and looked into,” he said.
As per police, the market value of the seized narcotic substance which is 1000 kilograms is over Rs 65 lakh in the Punjab market
While detailing the operation further, he said that the consignment was picked from district Anantnag, and they were unloading some fibre dose in Leh and then, they were going to Punjab for unloading.
“So far we have arrested two drivers and they are from Punjab and another one arrested in Leh is also from Punjab. We are hoping to make further arrests in Punjab which was the forward link of the consignment,” he said.
The truck drivers who have been arrested are identified as Varinder Kumar, son of Sodhi Ram and Mahinder Paul son of Gurmail, both residents of Ravi Das Nager, Bhaddi Road Ward Balachaur Nawan Shahar Punjab.
The driver of the 3rd vehicle, which was intercepted in Leh and from which poppy straw weighing 200 kgs were recovered, has been identified as Amandeep Kumar son of Darshan Lal, resident of Bora Hoshiarpur Punjab.
The whole operation was conducted under the supervision of SP ANTF, Vinay Sharma
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