TOUSEEF WANI
GANDERBAL, Dec 17: In a major crackdown on organised drug trafficking, Jammu and Kashmir Police in Ganderbal have busted a high-value narcotics racket, recovering cocaine worth over ₹10 crore in the international illicit market. The operation marks a significant breakthrough and reflects the police department’s intensified, zero-tolerance approach towards the menace of drug trafficking in the district.
According to an official statement, Ganderbal Police have recently launched a focused drive targeting the procurement, transportation and sale of high-value narcotic substances such as cocaine and heroin. The sustained efforts have dealt a major blow to organised drug networks operating in and around the region.
The operation began during a series of special naka checking drives conducted on December 8, 2025, during which police apprehended a drug peddler identified as Mohd Irfan Bhat, son of Ghulam Nabi Bhat, a resident of Kharbagh Wakura in Ganderbal. Following his arrest, FIR No. 200/2025 was registered at Police Station Ganderbal under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and a detailed investigation was initiated.
Considering the gravity of the offence and the suspected links of the accused with larger drug syndicates, SSP Ganderbal, Shri Khalil Ahmad Poswal (JKPS), constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of Additional SP Ganderbal, Shri Owaise Loun (JKPS). The SIT was tasked with tracing both backward and forward linkages of suppliers and distributors involved in trafficking high-value narcotics. The investigation was led by SI Gulzar Hussain, In-Charge Police Post Shadipora, who, according to the statement, put in sustained and strenuous efforts to expose the broader drug nexus.
Based on intelligence inputs and court-obtained search warrants, coordinated searches were conducted at multiple locations, including Sumbal, Shadipora, Zakura and other suspected hideouts used for concealing narcotics.
As a significant outcome of the ongoing investigation, the police identified and detained another notorious drug peddler, Maqsood Hussain Khan, son of Abdul Majeed Khan, a resident of Hazratbal, Srinagar, presently putting up at Gooripora, Sanat Nagar. During a search of his rented accommodation at Gooripora, Sanat Nagar, conducted during the intervening night of December 16 and 17, 2025, police recovered two packets of cocaine-like substance weighing approximately one kilogram.
The seized contraband is estimated to be worth more than ₹10 crore in the international drug market. In addition to the narcotics, police also seized one vehicle, mobile phones and other electronic gadgets believed to have been used in the drug trafficking operation.
Police officials said that an in-depth investigation is underway to identify the actual source of the narcotics, the supply chain involved, and any possible inter-state or international linkages connected to the racket. More arrests and recoveries are expected in the coming days as the investigation progresses.
Reiterating its zero-tolerance policy against drug trafficking, Ganderbal Police appealed to the general public to come forward and cooperate by sharing information related to drug abuse or peddling. The police emphasised that public participation is crucial in achieving the shared goal of building a drug-free society.
