Srinagar, May 8 : A drug peddler has been arrested in J&K's Anantnag district and 'charas' recovered from him during checking, police said on Friday.

A police statement said that continuing its sustained crackdown against drug trafficking and substance abuse, Anantnag police on Friday arrested a drug peddler and recovered a consignment of charas during naka checking in the district.

According to officials, a police party from Police Post GBS was conducting naka checking at the Muslim Abad area of Anantnag when a suspicious vehicle bearing registration number JK01P-8668, going towards KP Road, was intercepted.

Police said that upon being signalled to stop, the driver attempted to flee from the spot. However, the alert police personnel chased and intercepted the vehicle, successfully apprehending the accused.

During preliminary questioning, the accused identified himself as Milad Ayoub, son of Mohammad Ayoub Mir, a resident of Nai Basti, Anantnag. Officials stated that during the search of the vehicle, a polythene bag concealed beneath the driverâ??s seat was recovered, containing approximately 95 grams of charas powder-like substance.

In this regard, FIR No. 136/2026 under Section 8/20 of the NDPS Act has been registered at Police Station Anantnag, and an investigation has been initiated to trace both forward and backward linkages of the narcotics network.

Anantnag police reiterated its commitment towards eradicating the menace of drugs from the district and appealed to the general public to cooperate with the police by sharing information regarding drug peddling or substance abuse with the nearest police establishment.

Police have been carrying out aggressive anti-drug operations in J&K during the ongoing 100-day-long Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyaan.

Lt. Governor, Manoj Sinha, said during the launch of the anti-smuggling campaign that in addition to the usual punishment prescribed under law against drug smugglers, additional punitive action has been initiated, including cancellation of Aadhaar card, passport, driving licence and attachment of property created from funds generated through drug smuggling, drug peddling, and drug dealing.

/IANS