J&K Police bust Srinagar narcotics module: 8 arrested, ₹85.76 lakh cash, gold worth ₹1.05 crore seized
Synopsis
J&K Police have cracked open a cross-state drug network rooted in downtown Srinagar — seizing codeine, heroin, over two lakh opioid tablets, a pistol, ₹85.76 lakh in cash, and gold worth ₹1.05 crore. With raids extending to pharmaceutical companies in Chandigarh and Ambala, this is far more than a local bust: it is a supply-chain takedown with national threads still being pulled.
Key Takeaways
J&K Police busted a narcotics module in downtown Srinagar on 1 October 2026 , arresting eight persons .
Seized: ₹85,76,800 cash, gold worth ₹1,05,29,400 , 3.830 kg Codeine , ~ 40 grams heroin , ~ 2,18,500 Tapentadol tablets , and a pistol.
An additional ₹1.07 crore has been frozen in multiple bank accounts; one house and two vehicles attached.
Two accused — Faizan Firdous Khanday and Mohd Shahvar Aleem — are absconding; further arrests are likely.
Raids are ongoing at pharmaceutical companies in Chandigarh and Ambala with support from Punjab Police .
Case registered as FIR No.
135/2026 at Police Station Safakadal under NDPS Act, Arms Act, and BNS.
Jammu and Kashmir Police on 1 October 2026 dismantled a well-established narcotics module operating out of downtown Srinagar, arresting eight persons and recovering ₹85.76 lakh in cash, gold valued at approximately ₹1.05 crore, a pistol, and large quantities of banned pharmaceutical drugs. Two more accused are reportedly absconding, and further arrests are likely as the investigation widens across state lines.
Key Recoveries and the FIR
Recoveries from the operation included 3.830 kg of Codeine, approximately 40 grams of heroin, 414 tablets/capsules of Tramadol, roughly 2,18,500 tablets of Tapentadol, and 1,200 capsules of Pregabalin. Police also seized one pistol, cash of ₹85,76,800, and gold comprising 108 gold coins worth ₹1,27,44,000 and MMTC-PAMP jewellery worth approximately ₹2,55,000 — bringing total gold value to ₹1,05,29,400. An additional ₹1.07 crore has been frozen across multiple bank accounts.
The case was registered as FIR No. 135/2026 under Sections 8/21/22/29/25/27A of the NDPS Act, Sections 3/4/25 of the Arms Act, and Section 111 of the BNS at Police Station Safakadal.
The Accused and Absconders
The eight arrested individuals have been identified as Mohammad Waseem Zargar of Patlipora, Chattabal; Haris Hameed Malla of Guzarbal, Chattabal; Aqib Saleem Dar of Rampora, Chattabal; Inam Ahmad Zargar of Haftiyar Safa Kadal; Sahib Ahmad Ganaie of Danamazar, Safa Kadal; Ansar Hussain Bhat of Zabar Mohalla, Budgam; Peer Shakoor of Palpora, Noorbagh; and Haroon Pandit of Guzarbal, Chattabal.
Two accused are currently absconding: Faizan Firdous Khanday, alias Farzan Pujj, of Malik Sahab Safakadal, and Mohd Shahvar Aleem of Muzaffar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. Police have attached one house belonging to Mohammad Waseem Zargar in Patlipora, Chattabal, along with two vehicles.
Modus Operandi and Cross-State Reach
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar, Sundeep Chakravarthy, told reporters that the module was systematically sourcing illegal drugs from outside Jammu and Kashmir and funnelling them into Kashmir Valley. 'It is a well-established network. There were raids in Chandigarh and Ambala by the MR Gunj Police. We are thankful to the Punjab Police. Raids are going on at pharmaceutical companies there. We will not spare anyone when it comes to drug abuse,' SSP Chakravarthy said.
Notably, the operation points to a broader pharmaceutical supply chain being exploited — an increasingly common pattern in J&K drug cases where prescription opioids and controlled substances are diverted from licensed companies before reaching street-level distribution networks.
What Happens Next
Raids at pharmaceutical companies in Punjab are ongoing, according to police. Investigators are working to establish the complete forward and backward linkages of the network, and further arrests are expected. The operation was conducted by the MR Gunj Police station, with coordination from Punjab Police marking a notable inter-state law-enforcement collaboration.
The bust came on the same day J&K Police organised a 'Run for Unity' marathon in Srinagar, aimed at engaging youth in healthy activities to steer them away from drug abuse — a juxtaposition that underlines the scale of the challenge authorities face on the ground.
Point of View
Gold coins, frozen bank accounts, and cross-state raids — signals that Srinagar's drug problem has moved well beyond street-level dealing into organised financial crime. The involvement of pharmaceutical supply chains in Chandigarh and Ambala points to systemic diversion, not opportunistic smuggling. J&K Police deserve credit for the inter-state coordination, but the bigger question is regulatory: how are controlled substances like Tapentadol and Pregabalin reaching a Srinagar distribution ring in such volumes without triggering alerts at the licensing end? Until pharma-sector accountability catches up with policing, busts like this will keep uncovering the same network rebuilt under new names.
NationPress
1 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized in the Srinagar narcotics module bust on 1 October 2026?
Police seized ₹85,76,800 in cash, gold worth approximately ₹1,05,29,400 (including 108 gold coins), 3.830 kg of Codeine, roughly 40 grams of heroin, about 2,18,500 Tapentadol tablets, 1,200 Pregabalin capsules, 414 Tramadol tablets, and a pistol. An additional ₹1.07 crore was frozen across multiple bank accounts.
Who are the arrested accused in the Srinagar drug bust?
The eight arrested persons are Mohammad Waseem Zargar, Haris Hameed Malla, Aqib Saleem Dar, Inam Ahmad Zargar, Sahib Ahmad Ganaie, Ansar Hussain Bhat, Peer Shakoor, and Haroon Pandit — all from various localities in Srinagar and Budgam. Two others, Faizan Firdous Khanday and Mohd Shahvar Aleem, are currently absconding.
How did the Srinagar drug network operate?
According to SSP Sundeep Chakravarthy, the module sourced illegal drugs — primarily controlled pharmaceutical substances — from outside Jammu and Kashmir and supplied them within the Kashmir Valley. Raids have been conducted in Chandigarh and Ambala, and investigations are ongoing at pharmaceutical companies believed to be part of the supply chain.
What legal action has been taken against the accused?
The case is registered as FIR No. 135/2026 under the NDPS Act, Arms Act, and BNS at Police Station Safakadal. One house belonging to Mohammad Waseem Zargar and two vehicles have been attached, and bank accounts totalling ₹1.07 crore have been frozen.
Are more arrests expected in the Srinagar narcotics case?
Yes. Police have confirmed that two accused are absconding and that raids are continuing at pharmaceutical companies in Punjab. SSP Chakravarthy stated that investigators are working to identify the full forward and backward linkages of the network, and more arrests are likely.
