Srinagar, May 14, KNT: Property attachment has emerged as one of the strongest tools being used by law enforcement agencies in the fight against narcotics trafficking in Jammu and Kashmir. The action is aimed not only at arresting accused persons but also at dismantling the financial networks supporting the illegal drug trade.
Several lawyers while talking to the news agency Kashmir News Trust said that under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, authorities can identify and attach properties believed to have been acquired through proceeds of drug trafficking or used for narcotics-related activities.
“These properties may include houses, shops, land, vehicles, commercial buildings, bank accounts, or other assets allegedly linked to drug peddling networks.:
Advocate Saleem Yousuf said that the process usually begins after investigation agencies gather evidence suggesting that a property was either purchased through illegal narcotics earnings or directly used in facilitating drug trade activities.
“Before attachment, authorities are required to follow legal procedures, including documentation, investigation records, financial tracing, and administrative approvals.”
In many cases, police coordinate with revenue departments, financial investigators, and magistrates during the process.
Advocate Tasaduq Hussain added that once attached, the property cannot normally be sold, transferred, leased, or legally altered without permission from competent authorities.
“If courts later uphold the findings after trial or legal scrutiny, the attached assets may eventually be confiscated permanently by the government.”
They say the strategy is intended to weaken the economic backbone of narcotics syndicates by targeting profits generated through illegal trade rather than focusing only on arrests.
In recent years, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a sharp increase in such actions, with police attaching properties worth crores of rupees in multiple districts as part of intensified anti-drug operations.
Legal experts, however, say property attachment remains subject to judicial review, and affected individuals retain the right to challenge the action before appropriate legal forums.
Security agencies believe financial disruption has become a critical component of modern anti-narcotics enforcement, especially in cases involving organized trafficking networks and cross-border smuggling. [KNT]
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