Jammu, April 15
Jammu and Kashmir Police have dismantled a significant interstate and cross-border drug network with the arrest of Gulzar Ahmad, also known as Lau Gujjar, who was among the region’s most-wanted drug lords. Several of his associates were also apprehended, marking a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to combat narcotics trafficking.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (Jammu) Joginder Singh, Gujjar had operated at the center of a large-scale narcotics supply chain, evading arrest for over two decades. His capture, along with the recovery of a Pakistan-made pistol and more than 700 grams of heroin, has been described by police as a major step in disrupting the drug trade in the region. “He was a hardcore criminal and a key figure in the drug supply chain. His network has now been fully identified and dismantled,” SSP Singh stated during a press briefing.
Gujjar is believed to have started his criminal activities as a bovine smuggler in 2006, later expanding into the drug trade around 2016 and further scaling up his operations by 2019. The police report that three of his associates were arrested along with him, while interrogation of about 10 more suspects is underway. Nearly two dozen additional individuals linked to the network have been identified and are currently under surveillance.
A Special Investigation Team led by a superintendent of police rank officer has been formed to probe the case further. The team will investigate the financial aspects and assets created through illegal activities, as well as trace the routes used to smuggle narcotics into India. Police are examining whether the drugs entered the country via Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, or other border regions. The recovery of the foreign-made weapon from Gujjar points to possible cross-border links, with SSP Singh stating that a broader narco-terror angle is being probed.
SSP Singh revealed that Gujjar was wanted in at least 28 cases in Jammu district, with additional FIRs registered against him in other states under various aliases. The crackdown on drug syndicates in Jammu district this year has already resulted in the registration of 103 drug-related cases, nine of which involve commercial quantities. Nearly 11 kilograms of heroin, along with other contraband such as poppy husk, ganja, and controlled medication capsules, have been seized. Police have also cancelled about 20 driving licenses and blacklisted nearly 200 vehicles linked to drug-related activities.
The arrest of Gulzar Ahmad and the dismantling of his network are expected to have a significant impact on drug trafficking in the region. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to trace the full extent of the syndicate’s operations and prevent similar networks from emerging.
