Baramulla police cracks down on drug smugglers, seizes properties worth lakhs

In a major breakthrough against drug smuggling and trafficking in the district, the Baramulla Police, led by Inspector Sarjan Ahmad under the supervision of Mohd Nawaz-JKPS, SDPO Pattan took action against Barkat Ali Main, a prominent drug smuggler, whose under-construction house on a 10-marla land at Main Mohalla Pattan was seized.

The move came after the property was linked to a case registered as FIR No. 84/2023 u/s 8/22 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Pattan. The investigations revealed that the property had been acquired through the illicit trafficking of drugs.

Simultaneously, Inspector Arif Hamid, SHO PS Kreeri, led another team of Baramulla Police, supervised by Khalid Ashraf-JKPS, SDPO Kreeri, to seize a vehicle linked to another drug smuggling case.

The vehicle bearing registration number DL2AE-2820 was owned by Abdul Rehman Malik of Kalantra Payeen. The vehicle was found to be connected to a case registered as FIR No. 33/2023 u/s 8/20, 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Kreeri.

Baramulla Police successfully attached properties belonging to notorious drug smugglers after obtaining legal sanctions from competent authorities.

Upon confirming the involvement of these properties in drug trafficking, the orders for their attachment were referred to the Competent Authority and Administrator Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators in accordance with the Forfeiture of Property Act, 1976, the Narcotics Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 in New Delhi.

The attachment of these properties was approved under the provisions of clause (g) of section 68B of the NDPS Act.

The confirmation order received from SAFEM (FOP) A & NDPSA, New Delhi, regarding the attachment of these properties has been hailed as a significant boost to the morale of the Baramulla Police officers who have been relentlessly working against drug smugglers in the district.

The police further revealed that they have issued orders for the attachment of other properties associated with drug smugglers and will soon forward them to SAFEM (FOP) A & NDPSA, New Delhi, seeking confirmation.

The recent operations by Baramulla Police have sent a stern warning to drug smugglers, emphasizing that the law enforcement agencies are determined to crack down on drug trafficking and illicit activities in the district.