Srinagar, July 2: Police on Monday arrested 15 persons including eight women in connection with the illegal trafficking of drugs while impersonating as tourists here.
“Striving with its efforts to weed out the scourge of drug menace, today during early hours, a police team headed by DySP headquarters Budgam and assisted by SHO Budgam had established a Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) at Ichgam Budgam Road. While the team was checking vehicles at the MVCP, a white sedan (Hyundai Verna) followed by two Innova vehicles were intercepted,” an official told GNS.
From the search of vehicles, police recovered green polythene packets consisting of phukki powder weighing around 1 kilogram each on average packed in around 8 different sized suitcases, the official said adding that the apprehended persons included 7 males and 8 females.
It surfaced that the apprehended persons were part of an interstate drug racket operating in states of Punjab and J&K, he said adding that the group would carry along female accomplices in sedans and high-end vehicles to disguise themselves as tourists.
He said the seized phukki is sold at an average price of Rs. 2500 per kg in Punjab. Seizure of such huge quantity of phukki (approximately 323 kilograms) and protagonists in the interstate racket, along with the seizure of three high-end vehicles is expected to deter such drug traffickers, he said.
“A Case FIR No 166 of 2018 under section 8/15 NDPS Act 2018 stands registered in PS Budgam and further investigation was taken up,” the official said.
Police solicit the cooperation of common masses is its continuous fight against drug menace and illegal trafficking of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, he said.
Meanwhile, locals of the area hailed the police action and demanded stern action against those involved in the racket.
