ATUL SHARMA
Early Times Report
Jammu, July 21: A Pakistan-based narco-terrorist, known by the code name 'Rana,' has been identified as the mastermind behind a sophisticated drug smuggling network operating in the Jammu region, according to recent investigations by agencies.
Rana is accused of supervising operations aimed at flooding the region with narcotics, using the illicit drug trade as a tool to fund and incite subversive activities against India.
The probe revealed that Rana, a resident of Pakistan, is the alleged kingpin of an organized narco-terror gang responsible for smuggling narcotic drugs and firearms across the border.
The operation, described as a "dual strategy" by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, involves the use of narcotics as a "terror currency" to destabilize the region. This strategy not only fuels criminal activities but also finances separatist and terrorist operations, threatening the social and economic fabric of Jammu and Kashmir.
Investigations have uncovered that Rana's network employs advanced tactics, including encrypted communication channels and virtual numbers, to coordinate smuggling activities. A co-accused, Gurpreet Singh alias Billa, was found to be in direct contact with Rana via WhatsApp calls made from a hotel in Samba, highlighting the gang's brazen operations. The SIA alleges that Rana's activities are part of a broader Pakistani strategy to exploit the region's proximity to the Golden Crescent, a major drug-producing area encompassing parts of Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.
The High Court, while denying bail to a juvenile linked to the case in 2022, emphasized the severity of narco-terrorism, noting that it is "no longer confined to drug-weapon smuggling." The court underscored Pakistan's role in deploying drugs and weapons to incite subversive activities and disrupt peace in the region. "The enemy is employing a dual strategy to threaten the economic security of the country and weaken its social fabric," Justice Sekhri observed.
Security forces have intensified efforts to curb this menace, with the Border Security Force (BSF) and Jammu and Kashmir Police seizing significant quantities of heroin and other narcotics in recent years. In 2022 alone, the region saw a 2,000% surge in heroin-related seizures, with districts like Kupwara, Shopian, and Pulwama emerging as key smuggling hubs. The J&K administration has also begun seizing properties of drug peddlers to choke the financial pipelines supporting these operations.
Authorities have linked Rana’s network to Pakistan-based terrorist organizations, including Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba, which use drug proceeds to fund their activities. The use of advanced technologies, such as drones for cross-border smuggling, has further complicated efforts to dismantle these networks.
In December 2022, the BSF downed nine drones along the Line of Control, many of which were operated from premises linked to Pakistan Rangers.
As the investigation continues, security agencies are focusing on disrupting Rana’s network and its connections to local operatives. The Jammu and Kashmir Police have vowed to intensify their crackdown on narco-terrorism, with plans to map and categorize drug smugglers similarly to terrorist classifications. The fight against this insidious threat remains a top priority, as it poses not only a security challenge but also a profound risk to the region’s youth and societal stability.
The main kingpin of this module was a Pakistani national code-named Rana, who orchestrated the gang's operations with the intent to incite subversive activities using narcotics as terror currency. |
