| Jammu battles new narco threat; women, couples turn drug peddlers | | 311 accused, including 35 women, arrested in 2025 | | 
Atul Sharma
Early Times Report
Jammu, Jan 3: Even as Jammu Police scored a major breakthrough by arresting 311 drug peddlers in 2025, a disturbing and alarming trend has rattled law enforcement agencies — women and even married couples are now emerging as active players in the narcotics trade.
Out of the total 311 accused arrested under the NDPS Act in Jammu district, 35 were women, exposing a dangerous shift in the drug supply chain. Police say women are no longer just couriers but, in several cases, operating as independent drug kingpins, running all-women networks to evade suspicion and dodge security agencies.
More shocking is the involvement of couples who have allegedly turned drug trafficking into a joint criminal enterprise.
The recent arrest of a young husband-wife duo with a heroin-like substance has sent shockwaves across the district. The couple was intercepted while ferrying narcotics on a scooter — a tactic that officials say highlights new, deceptive smuggling methods being adopted by traffickers.
In March 2025, police arrested the couple, residents of the Old Satwari area of Jammu, who allegedly acted at the behest of influential drug lords. Disguised as tourists, they reportedly made repeated trips to the Kashmir Valley to procure narcotics consignments, which were then smuggled into Punjab. During interrogation, the duo revealed crucial links to suppliers operating from the Valley. Investigations are ongoing, and more arrests are likely.
Despite these challenges, Jammu Police launched an aggressive, multi-pronged crackdown in 2025 to dismantle the growing drug menace. The campaign not only targeted street-level peddlers but also struck at the economic backbone and infrastructure of organised drug syndicates.
According to official data, 204 FIRs were registered under the NDPS Act, leading to the arrest of 311 accused, including 35 women. Police seized 71 vehicles used for drug trafficking. Of the total arrests, 207 were linked to heroin cases, while 51 were involved in non-heroin narcotics cases.
During last year’s operations, police recovered over 15 kilograms of Women are no longer just couriers but, in several cases, operating as independent drug kingpins.
A few women are running all-women networks to evade suspicion and dodge security agencies.
More shocking is the involvement of couples who have allegedly turned drug trafficking into a joint criminal enterprise.
The recent arrest of a young husband-wife duo with a heroin-like substance has sent shockwaves across the district.
Acting against organised networks, police busted 11 commercial quantity cases, arresting 38 hardcore traffickers. Eleven notorious drug lords were detained under the stringent PIT-NDPS Act. To choke the financial lifeline of the drug mafia, police seized three immovable properties worth Rs 85.70 lakh and a vehicle valued at Rs 11.40 lakh.
In a visible show of zero tolerance, three major drug hotspots were razed, and 23 illegal drug-related structures were demolished across the district in 2025. Strong investigations led to convictions in 48 NDPS cases, underlining the police’s focus on watertight prosecution.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jammu, Joginder Singh, said supply-chain investigations resulted in 12 additional FIRs and the arrest of 36 accused from Jammu, Punjab, Kathua, Udhampur, and Rajouri. He said administrative and financial probes played a crucial role in exposing hidden networks.
In another major push, narcotics seized in 82 cases under Section 52-A of the NDPS Act were destroyed. The destroyed contraband included 5,293 kg of poppy husk, 49 kg of cannabis, 44 kg of hashish, heroin, brown sugar, thousands of capsules and tablets, and hundreds of bottles of cough syrup, collectively worth several crores of rupees.
Beyond enforcement, SSP Joginder Singh said Jammu Police also focused on awareness and rehabilitation. In 2025, police organised 27 drug awareness programmes, 325 PCPG meetings, 179 police station days, and 469 IEC campaigns.
At the Police Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation Centre, Chhanni (Jammu), 1,667 outpatients were treated, while 311 patients were admitted for rehabilitation.
Appealing to citizens to join the fight against drugs, police urged the public to share any information related to drug trafficking or abuse on helpline number 100, assuring that the identity of informants will be kept strictly confidential. |
|
