Seventh arrest in cross-border narco-arms syndicate in Jammu, police recover pistol

Jammu, Jan 9 (PTI) Jammu Police arrested another accused in a cross-border narcotics and arms syndicate, taking the total number of arrests in the case to seven, officials said on Friday.

Police had earlier busted the racket on December 5 last year by arresting six persons and recovering nearly five kilograms of heroin, estimated to be worth around Rs 30 crore, along with three pistols.

The latest arrest was made on Thursday under "Operation Sanjeevani", a sustained crackdown against narco-terror networks.

"The accused, identified as Rohit Kumar alias Makhan, a resident of R S Pura in Jammu, was apprehended by a Special Investigation Team (SIT)," officials said.

Acting on disclosures made during the investigation, the SIT conducted a search at the residence of one of the accused at Raiyan Kotliyan, leading to the recovery of a Px5 Storm Beretta pistol (.30 bore), one magazine and three live rounds, they added.

The case pertains to a high-profile syndicate busted by police involving an inter-district, inter-state and cross-border narcotics and arms syndicate following a deep, sustained and professional investigation.

The case came to light after two persons were apprehended during routine patrolling. The subsequent investigation unearthed an inter-district, inter-state and cross-border narco-terror module, they said.

So far, police have arrested seven accused, including drug peddlers, financial handlers and jail-based facilitators, and effected recoveries of about 4.95 kg of heroin-like substance, four pistols, live ammunition and a modified vehicle, revealing cross-border linkages, officials said.

The recovered arms and ammunition have been seized in the case, and the accused is currently in police custody.

Further interrogation is underway to ascertain his exact role, as well as backward and forward linkages and arms supply routes, they said.

Police said efforts are being intensified to identify and apprehend the remaining associates, trace financial and logistical channels and establish the complete cross-border and inter-state network. PTI AB AB SHS SHS