Kathua Police Seizes ₹50 Lakh Worth Property from Alleged Drug Trafficker

New Delhi, June 28: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have intensified their campaign against drug trafficking, resulting in the seizure of property valued at approximately ₹50 lakh in the Billawar area of Kathua district. According to police reports, this action was taken under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, with the seized property believed to have been purchased using illegally acquired income.

A press release from the police stated that the confiscated asset is a single-story residential house registered in the name of Pankaj Sharma, son of Dev Raj, a resident of Pallan village in Billawar. The estimated market value of the property is around ₹50 lakh. Preliminary investigations revealed that this property was acquired through alleged illegal trafficking of narcotic and psychotropic substances.

This operation was conducted under the directives of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kathua, Mohita Sharma (IPS). During the operation, the Superintendent of Police (Operations), SDPO Billawar, the station house officer of Billawar, and officials from the revenue department were also present. The police team formally seized the property in accordance with the legal procedures outlined in Sections 68-A, 68-E, and 68-F of the NDPS Act, 1985.

Authorities reported that Pankaj Sharma has been previously accused in multiple cases related to the NDPS Act. He has faced charges in 2022 at Rajbagh Police Station, in 2023 at Billawar Police Station, and again in 2025 at the same station for drug trafficking. In the 2025 case, he was also charged under the Arms Act.

The press release further noted that the accused was detained under the PIT-NDPS (Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) law on July 19, 2025, by order of the Divisional Commissioner, and is currently imprisoned in Udhampur District Jail.

Kathua Police emphasized that their efforts to dismantle the drug trafficking network in the district involve not only the arrest of traffickers but also actions against properties acquired through their illegal earnings. According to police, such measures will help cripple the financial backbone of those involved in the drug trade.