J&K: Man Arrested With Heroin, Ganja In Poonch Anti-Drug Crackdown

(MENAFN- IANS) Jammu, Oct 6 (IANS) Police in J&K's Poonch district on Tuesday said they had arrested one person and recovered heroin and ganja as part of an ongoing campaign against drug trafficking and substance abuse.

In a statement, District Police Poonch said it had achieved another success in its efforts to curb the illegal trade and distribution of narcotic substances in the district.

During the evening hours of October 5, 2026, Police Station Surankote, acting on specific information and during checking and search operations, recovered 8.52 grams of heroin and 16 grams of ganja from the possession of Asif Iqbal, son of Ashaq Hussain and a resident of Fazlabad, Surankote.

Taking cognisance of the recovery, police registered FIR No. 324/2026 under Sections 8, 20, 21 and 22 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Surankote.

The accused has been taken into custody.

Police said the investigation has been initiated to ascertain the source and intended destination of the recovered contraband and to identify any other persons involved in the alleged narcotics network.

Further investigation is under way.

District Police Poonch reiterated its commitment to making the district drug-free and said stringent legal action would continue against persons involved in the possession, transportation, sale and distribution of narcotic substances.

The public has been urged to cooperate with the police and share credible information regarding drug-related activities with the nearest police station.

The J&K Police and security forces have intensified anti-drug and anti-narcotics operations across the Poonch and Rajouri districts in the Pir Panjal region to curb cross-border narcotics smuggling and local drug peddling.

Security forces have focused on dismantling narcotics networks that allegedly use the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri to smuggle heroin and other psychotropic substances into the region.

Police have also targeted major drug traffickers by attaching and freezing properties allegedly acquired through the drug trade under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Joint checkpoints operated by the J&K Police and the Indian Army regularly monitor vehicles on the Poonch-Rajouri highway and interior rural areas to prevent the movement of contraband.

Authorities have also been conducting anti-drug awareness rallies and community outreach programmes aimed at discouraging substance abuse among youth.

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