Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, July 8: The Police and Army in joint operation seized 134 kg poppy husk on Mughal Road and arrested three Punjab based drug-smugglers.
Official sources said that a police party under the supervision of SDPO Surankote, Krishan Singh and SHO Anil Sharma, along with 16 RR (Army) jawans laid naka in Poshana area on Mughla Road and started checking of the vehicles coming from the Kashmir side to Rajouri and Jammu.
In the first incident, one swift car bearing registration No. PB10BC/ 3993 was intercepted which was driven by one Pawandeep Singh, son of Kulwant Singh, resident of Shajjad , Tehsil and District, Ludhiana from whose possession 26 kg of poppy straw was recovered.
The joint naka party then intercepted one truck bearing registration No. PB13Y/ 9298 which was being driven by Lakhbir Singh, son of Bhakshish Singh, a resident of Mallerkotla in district Sangrur, Punjab from whose possession 33 kg of poppy husk was recovered.
After some time, the same naka party intercepted yet another truck bearing registration No. PB13AL/ 5532 which was being driven by one Riyaz Khan, son of Nassir Khan , resident of Mallerkotla, in Sangrur district of Punjab, from whose possession 75kg of poppy straw was recovered.
All the three vehicles, along with 134 kg of poppy straw were seized and accused arrested.
In this case FIR No.169/2019, 170/19 and171/19 under 8/15 NDPS Act were registered in Police Station, Surankote and investigation started.
The police was trying to establish the source and destination of the consignment which was on way to Punjab from Kashmir. For the last few years, Mughal Road has become notorious in smuggling of drugs/ contraband material and bovines.