For the first time since the cross-LoC barter trade started after nearly 60 years between Pakistan-controlled and India-controlled territories of Jammu and Kashmir on October 21, 2008, the police on Friday claimed to have recovered cocaine worth Rs. 10 crore from a truck returning from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).
Informed sources told The Hindu that the police in Baramulla district received a tip-off indicating smuggling of narcotics and weapons by three truck drivers. On Thursday, scores of trucks had crossed over to the PoK’s Trade Facilitation Centre at Chakoti, on the Srinagar-Uri-Muzaffarabad Road, to deliver fresh and dry fruit and other listed goods.
Trucks from PoK deliver the consignments at the J&K Trade Facilitation Centre at Salambad (Uri) after crossing the Aman Sethu, the zero line on the Line of Control (LoC).
Barricade laid
When the J&K trucks were returning from Chakoti on Friday, police laid a barricade and searched almost all vehicles returning from theLoC.
Cocaine was recovered from a truck and its driver, Abdul Ahad Ganie of Mawar, Handwara, was taken into custody.
