J&K Police arrests ‘major drug magnate’ from Ludhiana

Though the J&K Police did not name the arrested “drug magnate”, sources identified him as Manjit Singh of Nawanshehar. The police said the fake vehicle number plates were of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.

Manjit’s father Satnam Singh had been declared a proclaimed offender in a case registered under provisions of the NDPS Act at Garhshankar police station, the sources said.

Earlier, J&K’s DGP Dilbag Singh said that 30 kg cocaine like substance had come from across the Line of Control (LoC). Two Punjab-based drug peddlers were arrested on the spot by the police team headed by Ramban SSP Mohita Sharma and a case was registered at the local police station. To ascertain the linkages, the Ramban SSP deputed special teams to both Kashmir and Punjab, Singh said.

“Technical intelligence was gathered and a truck bearing registration No JK04F-8057 was seized,’’ he said, adding that its driver had delivered the seized contraband to Punjab-based drug peddlers after receiving Rs 45 lakh cash at Parimpora, was arrested. Following questioning, the truck driver disclosed the name of another peddler who was arrested from Kupwara district. To nab the kingpin, “continuous technical and human intelligence was gathered’’ and it led to the arrest of three more peddlers from Kupwara district, and cocaine like substance weighing 4 kg 198 gram was recovered.