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| Kathua Police bust Pak-backed drone smuggling syndicate, arrest four | | | Atul Sharma
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 2: In a significant breakthrough against cross-border narcotics smuggling, Kathua police have arrested four persons from Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab for operating a Pakistan-based drone dropping syndicate. The operation, conducted under the supervision of SSP Kathua Shobhit Saxena (IPS), dismantled a sophisticated network that had been evading law enforcement agencies. According to a police spokesperson, the investigation began on July 29, 2025, following intelligence about a narcotic packet dropped by drone in village Chhan Tanda, Hiranagar, near the International Border. Swift action by police and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel led to the recovery of approximately 447 grams of opium.
An FIR (107/25) was registered under sections 8/18/19 of the NDPS Act and section 13 of UAPA at Police Station Hiranagar, launching a During the investigation, police arrested two primary suspects with the help of local witnesses. The arrested persons identified as Sukhwinder Singh, son of late Baldev Singh, resident of Amritsar and Arshdeep Singh (alias Raja), son of Paramjit Singh, resident of Gurdaspur, Punjab.
Both arrested persons were employed in the NHAI project in Ghagwal, Samba, and functioned as couriers responsible for collecting drone consignments and supplying narcotics to traffickers. Police recovered 411 grams of heroin from their possession.
Further investigation led to the identification and arrest of the receiver namely Feroz Din (alias Allu), son of Sahya, resident of Rajbagh, Kathua, who maintained contact with Pakistan-based drug smugglers.
The investigation culminated in the arrest of the syndicate’s kingpin and financier from Tarn Taran, Punjab, who was responsible for transferring drug proceeds to Pakistan through hawala channels.
Investigators discovered that the accused had already supplied over 30 kilograms of heroin—dropped by drones in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir—to drug peddlers in adjoining districts. The syndicate operated with sophisticated methods and extensive precautions, enabling them to evade law enforcement until now.
In a related operation at Police Post Nagri-Kathua, authorities arrested five individuals in a separate drug peddling case. On July 1, 2025, two accused—Murad Ali (son of Shah Din) and Bagh Hussain (son of Imam Hussain), both residents of Kathua—were arrested with cash and heroin.
Detailed investigation of this case led to three additional arrests as part of backward and forward linkage analysis. Police recovered an additional 20 grams of heroin and cash from the subsequently arrested individuals.
“This stringent action against drone dropping and drug trade comes in the backdrop of property seizures of drug traffickers in Kathua. It shows the relentless resolve of Kathua police to eradicate the menace of drug trafficking in District Kathua,” the spokesperson stated.
Police expect further recoveries and arrests in the coming days as the investigation continues. The operation represents a major blow to cross-border narcotics smuggling networks operating in the region. |
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