SRINAGAR: Police in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking under the ongoing 100-day Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyan, registering 172 FIRs and arresting 156 drug peddlers during the first two months of the campaign, officials said.
Launched under the initiative of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the drive has led to the seizure of over 323.5 kg of contraband substances and the recovery of Rs 26.5 lakh in cash linked to narcotics trafficking through multiple operations across the district.
Police said properties in 29 cases, valued at approximately Rs 12.5 crore, have been attached under relevant legal provisions, while four properties worth nearly Rs 3.76 crore, identified as proceeds of narcotics trade, were demolished. The total value of properties acted upon stands at around Rs 16 crore.
Officials said 350 marlas of illegal narcotic cultivation were destroyed during the period, while over 1,606 kg of narcotic substances were disposed of after completion of legal formalities. In addition, more than 300 marlas of government land was retrieved from encroachment by suspected drug traffickers.
Preventive action has been initiated against 119 habitual offenders, while three individuals were detained under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act. Three government employees were also found involved in drug-related cases, with legal action initiated against them.
The police said three female drug peddlers and four female cultivators were among those arrested. In further administrative action, 17 driving licences and nine registration certificates were cancelled for involvement in narcotics-related offences.
A total of 180 Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs) were conducted across the district to disrupt supply chains, while two narcotic hideouts used for concealment and distribution were busted during targeted operations.
In regulatory enforcement, 51 medical shops were inspected in coordination with allied departments, resulting in 16 violations and subsequent legal proceedings. Additionally, 124 investigating officers dealing with NDPS cases received specialised training in investigation, evidence collection and prosecution.
Police said the campaign will continue with sustained enforcement and a “zero tolerance” approach towards narcotics, urging public cooperation in sharing information on drug trafficking and substance abuse.
