Jammu and Kashmir’s State Investigation Agency (SIA) announced the arrest of Mohammed Arshad, also known as Asif, described as the “kingpin” of a major narco-terror network operating in the region. Arshad, who had been absconding since 2023, was detained at Mumbai airport after reportedly operating from Saudi Arabia for several months. Officials said his arrest marks a major step in dismantling a cross-border network linking Pakistan-based handlers with terror operatives inside Jammu and Kashmir.
Arshad, a resident of Degwar-Terwan village in Poonch’s Haveli tehsil, is accused of acting as the primary conduit between narcotics suppliers and militant groups across the Line of Control. According to SIA investigators, he was instrumental in coordinating the trafficking of heroin and other narcotics from Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir, using the proceeds to fund militant operations in the Pir Panjal region.
The SIA had issued a Look-Out Circular (LOC) against him in 2023 after identifying his role in a transnational drug-terror syndicate, followed by a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) from a local court. Acting on intelligence inputs about his travel plans, officials intercepted him at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and obtained a three-day transit remand for his custody.
Investigators said the case initially involved eight suspects, two of whom had been absconding. Earlier this year, in March 2025, another accused, Laquit Ahmed, was arrested at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport after returning from Dubai. Ahmed reportedly fled India soon after a narco-terror operation was uncovered, and officials believe Arshad helped facilitate his escape.
According to SIA sources, Arshad also organised a “secret meeting” in Surankote, Poonch, to plan the revival of terrorist and narcotics operations in the Pir Panjal region. Intelligence suggests that he maintained direct contact with handlers across the border in Pakistan, coordinating both the smuggling of drugs and the movement of funds for militant activities.
The SIA said Arshad’s capture represents a major blow to the narco-terror infrastructure that has increasingly been used by Pakistan-based groups to finance terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. “His arrest marks a significant success for the SIA in its sustained efforts to dismantle networks involved in narco-terrorism and cross-border subversive activities,” the agency’s spokesperson said.
Investigations are continuing to trace Arshad’s financial channels, overseas links, and associates operating within and outside India. The agency is also examining digital and communication evidence to identify other operatives connected to the network.
