Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone, MK Sinha, on June 24, said that Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terror group was behind the smuggling of narcotic substance from across the border as he announced the arrest of a smuggler and recovery of 12 kilograms of heroin near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), reports Daily Excelsior. Mohammad Altaf alias Hafiz, a resident of Behrouti Kanga village in Balakote area of Mendhar sector, was arrested following interrogation of his two associates who were arrested in Jammu last month along with 260 grams of heroin and over INR 1.2 million cash, the IGP said. Hafiz was arrested on June 21 and at his disclosure, 12 kilograms of heroin was recovered from his village on June 23.
Stating that four accounts of one of the three arrested narcotic smugglers were frozen and further investigation was on, Sinha said, “The interrogation of the arrested smugglers revealed that there is a nexus between Hizbul Mujahideen militants who are Pakistan trained and presently living there with narco smugglers who are living on this side of the border. Hizbul Mujahideen is smuggling the narcotic substance through its conduits into the country. At the moment we are still investigating and trying to study as to how the money is circulated and where it is being used.” On May 27, the Jammu Police chief said two narcotic smugglers, identified as Fayaz Ahmad Dar of Bijbehara (Anantnag) and Arshad Ahmad of Shopian, were arrested by a Police party on a specific information from Vivekanand Chowk in Jammu District and seized over INR 1.2 million and 260 grams of heroin from their possession.