Srinagar, Nov 5 (JKNS): In a strong assertion on the growing nexus between narcotics and terrorism, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Sujit Kumar Singh on Thursday said that money generated through drug trafficking is being channelled to terrorist groups through networks of overground workers (OGWs), describing it as an established reality.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, as per news agency JKNS, IGP Sujit said that the earnings generated by narcotics kingpins, whether operating within Jammu and Kashmir or from across the border, are being distributed among terrorist groups through their overground worker networks.
“The money that comes through narco trade and the earnings of narco kingpins are distributed to terrorist groups through their overground workers. This is the truth,” the IGP said, adding that it was difficult to quantify the exact volume of funds being channelled into the network.
On the investigation into an alleged extortion network in downtown Srinagar, involving a recovery of around ₹7 crore and the arrest of approximately 12 persons, the IGP said police teams had been dispatched not only to Chandigarh but also to other states to track the network.
He said some accused were still absconding and assured that further arrests would follow, adding that police were pursuing the forward and backward linkages of the racket to expose the entire network.
The IGP also said that narcotics were reaching Jammu and Kashmir through both cross-border routes and other states, adding that investigations into the cases had revealed links to both channels.
Defending the ongoing anti-drug campaign, Singh said police had made substantial progress in containing the menace and had reached a critical stage in efforts to prevent it from devastating the younger generation.
He sought continued support from civil society and youth, saying police were working to identify and plug the remaining gaps in the system.
On rehabilitation, the IGP said the police-run de-addiction facility was among the most affordable in North India, adding that patients were required to bear only food and medicine-related expenses, while the government did not charge for medicines.
Responding to a question on technology being used by terrorists, IGP Singh urged the media not to disclose sensitive operational details, saying that whatever technology was being used by terrorists remained on the security agencies’ radar. (JKNS)