Kupwara: With the arrest of 4 smugglers, Jammu and Kashmir Police claimed on Saturday to have busted an interstate terror module.

The police informed further that 8 kilograms of Heroin were seized during a joint operation with the Army in the Tregam area of Kupwara district.

Speaking to ANI, senior superintendent of police, (SSP), Kupwara, Youghal Manhas said, "It was an interstate terror module. We arrested 4 smugglers and about 8 kilograms of heroin and Rs 5 lakhs in cash were recovered during the joint operation with the Army. More arrests are likely in this connection in the coming days. Further details will be shared in due course of time."

Kupwara Police said preliminary investigations revealed that the narcotic consignment had been sent by terrorist handlers from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) -- Manzoor Ahmad Mir and Asad Mir.

They added that the handlers, who hail from Jumagund in Kupwara, crossed over into Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) in the early 1990s to join terrorist ranks.

"Both Manzoor and Asad, over a period of time, become terrorist handlers of LeT, acting as launching commanders besides pushing narcotics and weapons to sustain terrorist activities in J&K," the police added in its statement.

The accused were identified as Yousuf Bokra from Rashanpora, Kralpora, Showkat Ahmad Khatana from Meliyal, Kupwara; Maroof Ahmad Mir from Jumagad, Kupwara and Laba Masih from Awaan Ramdas Ajnala, Punjab, Kupwara police said.

Acting on a tip-off, a joint search operation was launched by Kupwara Police along with a local army unit at Zurhama in the Trehgam police station area.

A case under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and UA(P) Act has been registered in the matter at Trehgam police station.