Omkar Dattatray
It is so good and apt that the LG of the J&K UT has made it clear that drug smugglers, drug cartels and the nexus of drug smugglers will not be tolerated at any cost. The LG administration has started crackdown on drug mafia, drug smugglers and has been chocking the finances of these anti -social and anti-national elements hell bent to destroy the health and well -being of our youth by way of making drugs easily available and making them drug addicts. The LG is determined to eliminate drug abuse and addiction from Jammu and Kashmir. This time, it is no rhetoric and loud as well as high and shallow and hallow declarations but action is currently going on the drug mafias and their nexus with terrorists is being carried out to cleanse J &K from the scourge. The civil society, NGO’s, schools, other educational institutions, health department and voluntary organisations plus religious bodies and should cooperate with the government and work towards eliminating drug abuse from the society. LG and his administration deserve all kudos for taking direct action against drug pedlars, cartels, drug smugglers and those who take drugs.
The ‘’Drugs to Dust’’ crackdown in Jammu & Kashmir refers to an intense, multi-phased operation launched by the administration under LG Manoj Sinha, starting April 11,2026, aimed at completely dismantling the drug mafia’s economic and physical infrastructure. This campaign, often referred to under the banner of the ‘’100-day Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyaan’’ and Operation Sanjeevani, focuses on targeting the financial assets of drug smugglers, resulting in the demolition of houses and the attachment of properties built on drug money. This time drug empires are being dismantled to give a severe blow to drug cartels and smugglers and action on the drug abusers is being taken and is ongoing. Drug smugglers and cartels are more dangerous than terrorists and the government is determined to eliminate drug mafia from Jammu and Kashmir.
Key Aspects of the Crackdown [As of April 2026] ---
1]-‘’Drugs to Dust’’ initiative Authorities are using bulldozers to demolish the residential houses of notorious drug peddlers, such as those in Jammu’s Nikki Tawi and Belicharanna areas, symbolizing that drug wealth will be reduced to ‘’dust. ’’The Jammu administration has initiated a bulldozer justice’’ approach, demolishing illegal residential and commercial structures of high- profile drug peddlers.
2]-Asset Seizure and Financial Choking ---The government is attaching immovable properties, freezing bank accounts, and seizing vehicles belonging to drug smugglers and their associates under the NDPS Act.
3]—Severe Penalties ---- New Standard Operating Procedures [SOP’s] have been implemented, targeting smugglers with the revocation of passports, driving licenses, and Aadhaar cards, along with the issuance of Look Out Circulars for absconders.
4]—Massive Arrests and Seizures---In just five days [April 11 -15,2026], Jammu and Kasmir Police registered over 45 FIR’s,arrested 63 smugglers, and seized large quantities of drugs, including charas, heroin, and cannabis.
5]—High-Level Coordination---The campaign involves a ‘’whole -of -government ‘’approach, including police, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force [ANTF],and civilian administration to target both cross-border narco-links and local peddlers.
6] -Destruction of Narcotics---Police have destroyed large quantities of seized drugs, such as the 1084.89 kilograms of narcotics [poppy, straw, charas, fukki ,ganga ] destroyed in Anantnag, to send a strong message.
7] 100 -Day Nasha Mukt Abhiyan---A mass movement launched on April 11,2026, aimed at crushing narcotics networks within 100 days through aggressive enforcement and public participation.
8-Targeting Assets & Documentation---Authorities are attaching properties, freezing bank accounts, and initiating financial investigation under the NDPS Act. Stringent measures also include revoking passports, driving licences, Aadhaar cards, and arms licences of smugglers.
9] -Targeting Kingpins---The campaign successfully apprehended long-absconding kingpins, including Gulzar Ahmed alias Lau Gujjar, who had ties to cross -border narco-smuggling.
Objectives of the Campaign----The primary goal is to ensure a ‘’Drug-free Jammu and Kashmir’’ by targeting the root of the illicit narcotics trade rather than just making petty arrests. The, administration has identified 14’’drug hot spots’’in Jammu alone and is actively monitoring schools and pharmacies for misuse.
Recent Notable Actions [April 2026]-
1]—Demolition Drive---The residential structure of drug peddler Shamp Din in Jammu was razed, followed by the property of Mohd Hamid alias Hamidu in Nikki Tawi.
2]—Property Attachment---Police in Shopian and Anantnag attached properties worth lakhs, including residential houses and land owned by drug peddlers.
3]—Anti-Narcotics Task Force [ANTF] Breakthroughs---The ANTF recently intercepted an inter-state syndicate, arresting four smugglers with 10 kilograms of high-grade charas on the national highway.
The Lieutenant Governor has emphasized that the crackdown will continue relentlessly, aiming to protect the youth from addiction and ‘’cross-border smuggling’’ aimed at poisoning society.
Strategies for Eradication----
1]- Intelligence -Driven Policing---The LG directed that lists of ‘’top drug peddlers’’ be prepared at every police station and networks dismantled within 30 days.
2]—Cross -Border Focus---The administration has identified drug trafficking as an ‘’international conspiracy ‘’ by neighbouring countries to fund terrorism and destroy local youth,
3—Rehabilitation ---While taking strict action against traffickers, the government is strengthening de-addiction centres and i9mplementing the J&K Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Counselling and Rehabilitation Centres Rules,2026.
The crackdown is a ‘’Zero -tolerance ‘’policy intended to create panic among drug traffickers, with officials affirming that those destroying society will face total collapse of their empires. In fact ‘’Drugs to Dust’’ campaign is an intensified ,relentless crackdown by the Jammu and Kashmir Police under the leadership of LG Manoj Shina, aimed at dismantling the narcotics trade by targeting both smugglers and their illegal infrastructure .The initiative ,characterised as an ‘’all-out war’’ or ‘’bulldoze justice ,’’attaches or demolishes properties and freezes bank accounts of those in narcotics involved turning their sites into dust. Big crackdown against drug smugglers in J&K in less than a week’s time has met a success.
Recent Operational Successes [ 2026] –1[ Anantnag---Over 1,000 kg of narcotics, including charas, Ganja, and poppy straw, was destroyed in April.
2] Srinagar /Shopian---Several arrests in April 2026involving heavy heroin [Chitta] and cannabis recovery.
3]-Jammu [ Q1 2026] ---In the first quarter of 2026,88 FIR’s were registered, and 127 drug peddlers were arrested in Jammu district.
The policy, summarized by LG Sinha as ‘’Don’t Touch the Innocent & Don’t Spare the Culprit’’ is designed to completely dismantle the drug supply chain through aggressive enforcement and community participation.
To sum up, it can be said that the policy of Drugs to Dust is commendable initiative of J&K administration and LG Manoj Shina deserves all praise for directing the police and other stakeholders to take concrete action against drug cartels and smugglers, and at the same time asking the police and other agencies to take action against those involved in drug addiction and abuse. LG’s planning has been matched by implementation. So .this time, there are no shallow and hallow pledges but action o9n the ground to dismantle drug peddlers and save the youth of J &K from ruin.
The author is a columnist, social, KP Activist & Freelancer |
