THANE: Investigations into the seizure of 12 kilograms of hashish from two peddlers earlier this month has led the Thane police to Kashmir’s Udhampur district which is said to be the place for procuring high quality contraband .
It was on October 1 that officials of the Anti-Narcotics Cell, Thane arrested a school teacher, Ashok Dongre (46) and his friend Sanjay Patil (38), allegedly for possession of 12kg of hashish said to be worth Rs 12 lakh after a trap near Thakurli railway station .
The accused told the police about the supply chain which originates from Sambal village in Udhampur district, said Mandar Dharmadhikari, senior police inspector of the cell.
“The main accused used to regularly dispatch the consignment to the duo as the contraband has a huge demand here with lucrative returns. They also told us that they have visited Sambal several times in the past to procure the drug and the kingpin has also visited the city with the consignment for delivery. Kashmiri hashish is in huge demand because of its purity as its cultivation in Kashmir is in abundance and due to the conducive atmosphere,” added Dharmadhikari.
A team of the cell is on the trail of the main accused and are planning to visit the valley once again.
