JAMMU, Oct. 1
Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested two alleged drug peddlers in Rajouri district after recovering 1,300 Tapentadol tablets and 16 Tramadol capsules during a routine vehicle-checking operation, officials said on Thursday.
The arrests were made at Ujhan in Darhal late Wednesday night when a police team intercepted a motorcycle travelling from Rajouri towards Darhal.
Police identified the motorcycle rider as Haq Nawaz, a resident of Hiltak in Tehsil Darhal, and the pillion rider as Mohd Nafees, a resident of Thanamang, also in Tehsil Darhal.
During a search, police recovered 1,300 Tapentadol tablets and 16 Tramadol capsules, which officials said were being used for intoxication.
Both men were taken into custody following the recovery.
Police also seized the motorcycle on which the two accused were travelling.
The seizure adds to continuing police action against the illicit movement and misuse of pharmaceutical drugs in Jammu and Kashmir, where prescription medicines with abuse potential have emerged as one component of the wider narcotics challenge.
Unlike conventional narcotics such as heroin, pharmaceutical opioids can originate in legitimate medical supply chains before being diverted or misused.
Tapentadol is an opioid analgesic prescribed for moderate to severe pain, while Tramadol is also an opioid pain medication. Both have legitimate medical applications but carry risks of dependence and misuse when consumed outside appropriate medical supervision.
In the Rajouri case, police have specifically alleged that the tablets and capsules recovered from the accused were intended for intoxicant use.
A case has been registered at Police Station Darhal, and investigators are now examining the circumstances surrounding the possession and movement of the medicines.
The source report does not specify where the seized tablets originated, their intended destination, whether they were meant for further distribution, or whether investigators suspect additional people to be connected with the consignment.
Those questions are expected to form part of the continuing investigation.
The interception also highlights the role of routine road checking in detecting the movement of drugs and other prohibited or illegally possessed substances between different areas of the district.
In this instance, the motorcycle was stopped while travelling from Rajouri towards Darhal, leading to the search and subsequent recovery.
Police have not disclosed the estimated market value of the seized medicines.
No further details were provided about previous criminal cases, if any, involving the two accused.
The allegations against the arrested men remain subject to investigation and subsequent judicial proceedings.
For now, the case has resulted in the seizure of 1,316 tablets and capsules, the arrest of two men and confiscation of the motorcycle allegedly used to transport them.
Police Station Darhal is continuing the investigation to determine the source of the medicines and the circumstances in which they were being carried.
