Hizbul behind smuggling of narcotics into JK: IGP

A top police officer Monday said terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen is also engaged in smuggling narcotics into Jammu and Kashmir from across the Line of Control.

Jammu Inspector General of Police M K Sinha told reporters about Hizbul's drug smuggling nexus while announcing the arrest of a smuggler near LoC in Poonch district, nabbed with 12 kg of heroin.

Mohammad Altaf alias "Hafiz", a resident of Behrouti Kanga village of Balakote area in India's Mendhar sector was arrested on June 21 on a tip off by of his two accomplices, nabbed last month along.

The duo, Fayaz Ahmad Dar of Bijbehara in Anantnag district and Arshad Ahmad of Shopian, were arrested on May 27 and were found in possession of 260 grams of heroin and over Rs 12 lakh, said Sinha.

The IGP said four accounts belonging to one of the three arrested smugglers were frozen and further investigation is on.

Drug smugglers Dar and Arshad were arrested by a police team on from Vivekanand Chowk in Jammu.

"During his interrogation, the arrested smugglers revealed that there is a nexus between Hizbul Mujahideen militants, trained in Pakistan and presently living with narco smugglers on this side of the border," he said.

"Hizbul Mujahideen is smuggling the narcotic substance through its conduits into the country," he said.

"At the moment we are still investigating and trying to study how the money is circulated and where it is used," said Sinha