On July 13, 2025, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Srinagar dismantled a drug smuggling network in Anantnag, South Kashmir, arresting two key figures, including a former militant. The operation, conducted on July 8-9 in Bijbehara, led to the seizure of 28 kilograms of poppy straw, a narcotic derived from opium poppies, and the apprehension of Shabir Ahmad and Mohammad Amin.

Shabir Ahmad, previously affiliated with the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), was arrested in 1996 for terror activities and released in 2004. An additional 11 kilograms of poppy straw was recovered from his premises. Mohammad Amin, linked to two prior NDPS cases—one in Himachal Pradesh (2017) and another in Srigufwara, J-K—had secured bail in both. The NCB’s probe uncovered their roles in a sophisticated trafficking ring, with investigations ongoing to trace further connections.

This bust aligns with heightened efforts to curb narco-terrorism in the region, as authorities intensify crackdowns on drug networks often linked to illicit funding of militant activities.

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