Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 11: Police today busted a narco-militant module of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and recovered Rs 1.34 crore cash and heroin worth Rs 100 crore from the possession of three LeT Over Ground Workers (OGWs) in Handwara area of North Kashmir.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, told Excelsior that a Special Investigating Team (SIT) headed by SSP has been constituted to reach out to the bottom of the case and find out for whom the money and drugs were meant to be supplied. He said that more arrests are likely as many other people involved in the racket are absconding.
Kumar said that a narco-militant module was busted and a huge recovery of 21 kg of heroin with market value of Rs 100 crore and Rs 1.24 crore cash were covered from the LeT associates.
The IGP said that after specific inputs module was under Police radar. He added that three Lashkar associates who were key members of this module were arrested. “They were in touch with Pakistan and their main aim was to strengthen the Lashkar roots in Kashmir besides supplying drugs across Kashmir”, he said.
He said that after the recovery of huge quantity of heroin and other drugs, it is clear that militants are promoting drug trade in Kashmir besides violence.
The arrested persons have been identified as Iftikhar Indrabi, a resident of Rajwar, Handwara, a notorious drug peddler and is already involved in many relevant cases, Abdul Moomin Peer of Waskura, Handwara, and Islam ul Haq Peer of Waskura Handwara.
The IGP said Pakistan based outfits cultivate the narcotics there and send it though illegal route into Kashmir. He said that these consignments are received by handlers including the Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and they sell it in other parts of the country and distribute the money to promote militant activities.
He said that investigation so far have revealed that these drugs were on way to Punjab. “Further probe is on to identify other links. All the arrested persons were recently set free on bail after they were arrested under Public Safety Act for their involvement in drug trade”, he said.
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