New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Police has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking, arresting nearly 2,000 alleged drug peddlers, registering more than 1,500 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and freezing 567 bank accounts this year.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Zone, Sujit Kumar, shared the details on Thursday during his first press conference after taking charge of the position.
He said the police had also attached properties worth crores belonging to suspected drug peddlers and recovered approximately Rs 1.10 crore in cash as part of its efforts to dismantle the financial networks supporting the illegal drug trade.
According to Kumar, the 567 frozen bank accounts collectively contained around Rs 1.31 crore. The action is aimed at identifying and disrupting the financial channels used to fund drug trafficking activities.
The IGP appealed to young people and members of the public to actively participate in the fight against drugs and cybercrime. He encouraged citizens to share information about drug-related activities, assuring them that the identities of informers would remain strictly confidential.
He also urged individuals struggling with drug addiction to seek assistance rather than suffer in silence. Police would facilitate those approaching police stations or rehabilitation centres for help, while ensuring their privacy and confidentiality.
Kumar also raised concerns over the growing involvement of young people in organised online fraud networks, particularly those using mule bank accounts to transfer money obtained through cybercrime.
He revealed that police had received complaints involving financial fraud exceeding Rs 54 crore in recent months. Of the total amount, approximately 13 to 14 per cent had been recovered, while more than Rs 7 crore had already been returned to victims.
The IGP warned youngsters against allowing their bank accounts to be used for illegal financial transactions and urged them not to become part of organised cybercrime networks.
He stressed that protecting society from drug abuse and financial fraud required public cooperation, particularly from the younger generation, and called for collective efforts to prevent these activities from damaging the future of Jammu and Kashmir.
