Truck with over 200 kg poppy straw seized in J&K’s Udhampur

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police on Monday seized a truck and arrested its driver in Udhampur district after over 200 kg of poppy straw was recovered from the vehicle.

Poppy straw is the husk left after opium has been extracted from the pods. This poppy straw also contains a small morphine content and if used in sufficient quantities this poppy straw can give a high.

There are poppy straw addicts who are supplied the straw.

A police statement said that a narcotic smuggling bid was foiled by police in Udhampur district by recovering a huge quantity of the psychotropic substance.

“One person with 211 kg of poppy straw at ‘naka’ point Jakhani on the National Highway was arrested. This is part of the ongoing drive against drug trafficking and substance abuse.

“A team of police station Udhampur led by the Station House Officer while on ‘naka’ checking at Jakhani stopped one truck coming from Srinagar towards Jammu. In the process of a search, eight bags (total net quantity 211 kg) filled with poppy straw like substance were recovered from the vehicle.

“On preliminary enquiry, the driver disclosed his identity as Mohd. Hanief S/O Haider Ali R/O Village Toli, District Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. The said accused person (driver) has been arrested on the spot, vehicle and contraband seized. In this connection, a Case FIR NO. 476/2024 U/S 8/15 NDPS Act stands registered in P/S Udhampur and investigation of the case has been taken up”, police said.

Earlier in the day on Monday, police attached the house of a drug peddler in Sogam area of Kupwara district.

Yesterday, ten drug peddlers were arrested by police in Srinagar district.

Police across J&K have been aggressively acting against drug smugglers and peddlers to prevent the illicit trade that affects the youth of the UT.

Intelligence agencies say that the drugs are mostly smuggled into the UT from across the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB).

The funds so generated are used for aiding and assisting terrorism.

It is also believed that once youth are addicted to the use of these substances, they become easy pawns in the hands of terrorists and the handlers of terror operating from across the border.

Police have also been attaching the properties of drug peddlers and smugglers as it is believed that such properties are acquired from the proceeds of illicit trade in drugs.