Srinagar, October 1: Srinagar Police have busted an alleged inter-state narcotics network involved in the procurement, transportation, storage, distribution and financing of banned pharmaceutical drugs, arresting eight people and recovering more than 2.19 lakh tablets and capsules, officials said on Thursday.
The crackdown was carried out during the investigation into FIR No. 135/2026, registered at Police Station Safakadal. Police said the network had links extending beyond Jammu and Kashmir.
The arrested accused have been identified as Mohammad Waseem Zargar, Inam Ahmad Zargar, Sahib Ahmad Ganie, Ansar Hussain Bhat, Peer Shakoor, Haroon Tariq Pandit, Aquib Saleem and Haris Hameed Malla. All are residents of Srinagar except Ansar Bhat, who is from Budgam.
Police said Malla was traced through technical surveillance and arrested in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Among the major recoveries are 2,19,425 pharmaceutical tablets and capsules, 3.830 kg of codeine-based liquid, around 40 grams of a heroin-like substance and approximately Rs 85.75 lakh in cash.
Police also recovered 108 gold coins, gold biscuits and other gold articles valued at crores of rupees, along with two Rolex watches, a Dior bag, a DSLR camera, an iPhone 16 Pro Max, a .32-calibre pistol with two empty magazines and a dagger. Two vehicles have also been attached under relevant legal provisions.
As part of the financial investigation, police searched two bank lockers belonging to Zargar at Axis Bank, Bemina, following court orders. The searches led to the recovery of around Rs 65 lakh in cash and gold articles valued at approximately Rs 2.20 crore.
Several bank accounts allegedly linked to the accused have also been frozen, with around Rs 1.07 crore identified so far. One residential property and two vehicles have been attached under the provisions of the NDPS Act.
The investigation into the alleged supply chain also took police teams to Chandigarh, Panchkula and Ambala, where pharmaceutical establishments and transport agencies were examined and records collected.
Police said two other suspects, Faizan Firdous alias Farzan Khanday and Mohammad Shahvar Gaur, remain absconding.
Digital devices seized during the investigation are being analysed, while police said further arrests and recoveries are possible as the probe progresses.
