The Narcotics Control Bureau has uncovered two suspected drug supply routes into Jammu after carrying out multiple operations across Jammu and Kashmir over the past two weeks. Officials said a total of 6.920 kilograms of heroin was seized during the investigations, with four people arrested in connection with the recoveries. The seizures have highlighted the growing challenge of drug trafficking in Jammu and Kashmir, with investigators finding indications that narcotics are reaching the Jammu region through more than one route. According to officials, traffickers are allegedly using both the Punjab-Jammu corridor and the Uri sector in north Kashmir to move heroin and other illegal drugs. The latest investigation is therefore looking beyond individual seizures and attempting to identify the wider networks operating behind the supply chain.

Punjab-Jammu Route Comes Under NCB Scanner

One of the investigations began after NCB officials intercepted a bus travelling towards Jammu near the New Bus Stand in Samba on September 3. The bus had reportedly arrived from Punjab. During the operation, officers recovered 522 grams of heroin from one of the passengers. The seizure has provided investigators with an important lead into the suspected Punjab-Jammu drug route. Officials are now examining where the consignment originated, who arranged its movement and where the drugs were supposed to be delivered after reaching the Jammu region. The agency is also looking into possible links between people involved in transportation and individuals operating at different points of the suspected supply chain.

Another Route Traced Through Uri Sector

The investigation has also revealed a second suspected route involving the Uri sector of north Kashmir. On August 22, officials reportedly recovered 5.160 kilograms of heroin from a vehicle in the Panjtirthi area of Jammu city. According to officials, the consignment had entered Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan through the Uri sector. The seizure became a major breakthrough for investigators because of the quantity involved. Officials subsequently expanded the investigation beyond Jammu and Kashmir and followed leads that took the probe to Ladakh. The development has raised concerns over heroin smuggling through routes that connect border areas with major urban centres.

Investigation Extended to Ladakh

As investigators followed the trail of the large heroin seizure, the case reportedly extended to Leh in Ladakh. Three residents of Baramulla were arrested in Leh in connection with the investigation, according to officials. The arrests indicate that investigators are examining the movement of narcotics across different regions rather than treating the seizures as isolated incidents. The NCB is now working to establish how the suspected network operated, who was responsible for arranging the consignments and whether different individuals were coordinating transportation and distribution.

More Heroin Recoveries in Jammu and Samba

The NCB also reported two additional recoveries involving 438 grams and 603 grams of heroin in separate operations in Jammu and Samba. Although these seizures involved smaller quantities compared with the 5.160-kilogram recovery, officials said they form part of the agency's wider investigation into the movement of narcotics. The series of seizures has helped investigators build a broader picture of suspected Jammu drug trafficking, including the routes used to bring narcotics into the region and the people allegedly involved in their transportation.

Four People Arrested in Connection With Seizures

Officials said four people have been arrested in connection with the seizures carried out during the two-week period. One of those arrested was identified as Aaqib Bashir, a resident of Kakapora village in Pulwama. He was arrested after NCB officials seized 197 grams of heroin in Ludhiana on September 4 during the investigation. The agency is continuing efforts to identify other individuals who may have played a role in the network. Investigators are particularly interested in tracing the chain from the original source of the drugs to the people who were supposed to receive them.

NCB Focusing on the Complete Supply Chain

Rather than limiting its investigation to people caught carrying narcotics, the NCB said its strategy is to trace drugs from their source to their final destination. This approach is intended to help investigators identify the people supplying the narcotics, buyers waiting for the consignments, financiers supporting the operation and other associates involved in the network. Officials are also examining possible interstate and cross-border connections. The investigation could therefore lead to more arrests if authorities establish the identities and roles of other people connected with the suspected trafficking network.

Why the Punjab Route Is Important

The seizure from a bus coming from Punjab has highlighted the importance of the Punjab-Jammu corridor in the ongoing investigation. According to officials, traffickers are allegedly using this route to move heroin towards Jammu. The use of public transport can make detection more difficult because consignments may be carried by individual passengers rather than transported in a single large shipment. The NCB's investigation is expected to examine whether the person carrying the 522-gram consignment was working independently or was acting on instructions from a larger network.

Why the Uri Route Has Raised Concern

The second major route identified by investigators involves the Uri sector in north Kashmir. Officials have alleged that the 5.160-kilogram consignment recovered in Jammu had entered the region from Pakistan through Uri. The recovery has increased attention on the possibility of narcotics being moved through border-linked routes before being transported towards Jammu and other areas. Investigators are now attempting to determine whether the people involved in this case had connections with other drug networks operating in the region.

Officials Link Drug Money to Security Concerns

The investigation has also raised concerns beyond drug abuse. According to officials, money generated through narcotics trafficking can be used to support other criminal activities, including the procurement of weapons. Former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police SP Vaid also warned about the wider social and security implications of drug addiction. He said that efforts to push drugs into the region are aimed at affecting young people and creating a larger social problem. Officials have stressed that stopping the flow of narcotics is therefore important not only from a law-and-order perspective but also from a public health and security standpoint.

Focus on Protecting Young People

Authorities have repeatedly warned about the impact of drug addiction on young people. Officials said narcotics can damage families and communities while also creating a source of illegal income for organised networks. The latest seizures have once again brought the issue of drug menace in Jammu and Kashmir into focus. Enforcement agencies are attempting to disrupt the supply chain before narcotics reach their intended destinations. The investigation will now determine whether the recovered heroin was part of separate operations or whether the different seizures are connected through a larger network.

Investigation Continues Across Multiple Regions

The NCB investigation is currently spread across several locations, including Jammu, Samba, Ludhiana, Kashmir and Ladakh. Officials are trying to establish the complete route followed by the seized narcotics and identify everyone involved in the suspected network. Investigators are expected to examine financial transactions, communication links, transportation arrangements and possible connections between suspects as they work to uncover the larger structure behind the trafficking operations. More arrests may follow if investigators identify additional members of the network.

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How Much Heroin Was Seized?

The NCB reported a combined seizure of 6.920 kilograms of heroin in the two major operations. Additional smaller recoveries were also reported during the wider investigation.

Which Routes Were Being Used to Move Heroin?

According to NCB officials, traffickers were using two suspected routes: the Punjab-Jammu corridor and the Uri sector in north Kashmir.

Where Was the Largest Consignment Recovered?

The largest reported seizure was 5.160 kilograms of heroin, recovered from a vehicle in the Panjtirthi area of Jammu city on August 22.

How Many People Were Arrested?

Officials said four people were arrested in connection with the seizures during the two-week investigation. The NCB is continuing efforts to identify other suspected members of the network.