Kathua Police have dismantled an interstate drug trafficking syndicate involved in collecting narcotics consignments air-dropped by drones from Pakistan, smuggling heroin to various parts of India, and sending proceeds to Pakistan via hawala channels, SSP Shobhit Saxena announced on Tuesday.
On July 29, authorities received information about a drone-dropped narcotics consignment in Chhan Tanda village near the international border in Kathua’s Hiranagar sector. Acting swiftly, a joint team of police and BSF seized approximately 447 grams of opium. Hiranagar Police Station registered a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and launched an investigation.
During the probe, two drug couriers — Sukhwinder Singh (Amritsar) and Arshdeep Singh (Gurdaspur) from Punjab — were arrested. The duo, employed on an NHAI project in Samba’s Ghagwal, were responsible for collecting drone-dropped drug packages and supplying them to traffickers. Police recovered 411 grams of heroin from them intended for future distribution.
The investigation also led to the arrest of Feroz Din of Kathua’s Rajbagh, the receiver who was in contact with a Pakistan-based drug smuggler. Further questioning uncovered a drug kingpin and financier from Tarn Taran, Punjab, who coordinated with the same Pakistan-based smuggler and sent the proceeds of drug sales to Pakistan through hawala.
Police seized heroin and cash from both Feroz Din and the kingpin. Investigations revealed the syndicate had already supplied over 30 kg of heroin air-dropped into Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir, distributed by traffickers in adjacent districts.
“They operated a sophisticated network, taking extensive measures to evade law enforcement,” said SSP Saxena. “Further investigations are ongoing, with more arrests and recoveries expected.”
In a related case earlier in July, Kathua Police arrested Murad Ali and Bagh Hussain with cash and heroin. Their statements helped police arrest three more men and seize 20 grams of heroin from the group.
