Early Times Report
Jammu, Jan 19: Drug traffickers are increasingly resorting to modified and specially designed vehicles to smuggle narcotics from one place to another, in a bid to dodge police and other law-enforcement agencies, raising fresh concerns over the evolving tactics of the drug mafia.
According to police sources, smugglers are now using vehicles with concealed cavities, false floors, altered fuel tanks, and hidden compartments that are difficult to detect during routine checking. These vehicles are reportedly being customized solely for transporting narcotics across districts and state borders while evading suspicion at checkpoints.
Earlier, drug traffickers were found exploiting the ambulance service network to carry out illegal transportation of narcotics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when movement restrictions were in place, members of the drug cartel allegedly used ambulances and fake medical prescriptions to travel on highways under the guise of transporting patients, thereby avoiding thorough checking at naka points.
Police had, a couple of years ago, arrested three narcotics smugglers travelling in an ambulance, exposing how even emergency services were being misused for drug trafficking. The incident had sent shockwaves through the administration and prompted tighter surveillance of emergency vehicles as well.
In recent months, however, enforcement agencies have shifted focus to tracking highly modified private vehicles, following several recoveries of narcotics from such specially engineered transport. Officials said the changing modus operandi reflects how traffickers continuously adapt to enforcement measures.
Senior police officers said intensified vehicle checking drives, technical surveillance, and intelligence-based operations are being strengthened to counter the new trend. They also appealed to the public to remain vigilant and share any suspicious information related to modified vehicles or unusual movement with the nearest police station.
Authorities reiterated that the fight against drug trafficking remains a top priority, as narcotics continue to pose a serious threat to the youth and social fabric of the region. |
