Srinagar, January 18 (KNS): In a significant breakthrough against drug trafficking, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Srinagar Zone, recovered 0.635 kilograms of charas and arrested a repeat offender in the Anantnag district.
A senior officer told News Service (KNS), acting on specific intelligence, an NCB team intercepted one Subzar Ahmad Bhat, son of Mohd. Ramzan Bhat, a resident of Kud Angun, Marhama, Anantnag, on January 17, 2026. The interception occurred at National Highway-44 near the Diamond Sports Shop on the Jammu-Srinagar Road in Bijbehara Tehsil, leading to the seizure of the contraband.
Investigation revealed that the accused is a repeat offender with a prior criminal history under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Bhat was previously arrested in FIR No. 07/2023 at Police Post Sangam, Bijbehara, which involved the recovery of 520 grams of charas. He is currently on bail in that case.
Preliminary disclosures indicate Bhat has a history of criminal involvement. He was reportedly lodged in jail in 2016 in connection with stone-pelting cases and was detained again under the Public Safety Act (PSA) in 2023.
Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelHe was released from custody on March 21, 2024. These aspects of his past are being verified with the concerned police station.
Further investigation is underway to trace the source of the seized contraband, identify backward and forward linkages, and unravel any broader narcotics network associated with the accused.
The establishment of the NCB office in Srinagar is a key component of the Government of India’s focused strategy to bolster narcotics enforcement mechanisms in Jammu & Kashmir.
"The NCB remains steadfast in its commitment to disrupt drug trafficking networks and protect the youth from the scourge of narcotics," the officer stated, reaffirming the bureau's mission.
The NCB also appealed for public cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking. Citizens can share information related to the sale or trafficking of narcotics by contacting the MANAS – National Narcotics Helpline, toll-free at 1933. The identity of informants is kept strictly confidential, the officer added. (KNS)