Handwara Police attach ₹10.18 lakh property in J&K drug trafficking case
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Handwara Police in Jammu and Kashmir has attached a residential property worth approximately ₹10.18 lakh in connection with a drug trafficking case, with authorities asserting the asset was constructed and renovated using proceeds from the illicit narcotics trade. The action, announced on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, is the latest in an intensified crackdown on the financial networks sustaining drug trafficking in the region.
Details of the Attached Property
The residential property belongs to Mehraj-Ud-Din Gojree, a resident of Langate, Handwara. According to officials, the attachment was carried out by Handwara Police in coordination with concerned revenue authorities. The house is alleged to have been renovated using money generated through illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs.
Gojree is named as an accused in FIR No. 05/2022, registered at Police Station Handwara under Sections 8/20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Targeting the Financial Backbone of Drug Networks
Officials stated that the move goes beyond arresting individuals — it is aimed at dismantling the economic foundations of drug networks in the sub-division. Authorities said that properties found to have been acquired or developed through narcotics-related proceeds will face strict legal consequences under the law.
This comes amid a broader, sustained effort by security and law enforcement agencies across Jammu and Kashmir to choke funding channels that allow criminal drug networks to sustain and expand their operations.
Police Appeal to Citizens
Handwara Police also appealed to residents to share credible information about drug peddlers, trafficking activities, or any suspicious behaviour in their neighbourhoods. Officials assured that all such information would be treated with strict confidentiality.
The police reiterated their zero-tolerance policy against drug trafficking, underscoring that the campaign will continue with determination until the drug menace is rooted out from the area.
Broader Context
Property attachment under the NDPS Act is an increasingly used legal tool across Indian states to deter drug trafficking by targeting ill-gotten wealth. Notably, such actions signal a shift in enforcement strategy — from prosecuting offenders to stripping them of the financial gains that sustain criminal operations. Similar drives have been conducted by police forces in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and other border states facing narcotics pressure.
With the Handwara operation adding to a growing list of asset-seizure actions in J&K, officials indicate that further attachments are likely as ongoing investigations mature.