Pakistan epicentre of narco-terrorism: J-K Police chief
Jammu (PTI): Police have busted a major inter-state drug racket, leading to the arrest of eight people and seizure of nearly Rs 5 crore in cash and illegal substances, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference here on the operation 'Sanjeevani' initiated on September 30 with the aim of combating the drug menace, Singh also said Pakistan is the epicentre of narco-terrorism and that J-K is the collection point while Punjab is the receiving point.
"Eight smugglers including four from J&K and four from Punjab have been arrested so far. The investigation is going on. We are likely to involve other investigation agencies in the operation," Singh said.
He said that Pakistan is using drones as a modus operandi to ferry narcotics material in J-K, particularly in Jammu region's Rajouri district and areas along International Border but smuggling is taking place physically in Kupwara and other areas.
Under the operation 'Sanjeevani', Ramban police intercepted a significant consignment of a substance resembling cocaine, with an estimated street value of Rs 300 crore, he said.
"The seizure occurred from two Punjab-based peddlers who were transporting the illicit cargo in an Innova car bearing a fake registration plate in Ramban. A case was registered," he said.
Following the initial seizure, a special investigation team was formed to trace both backward and forward linkages, Singh said.
In a meticulous process, technical intelligence was gathered and a truck carrying a portion of the consignment was apprehended, he said, adding that the truck driver, responsible for delivering the contraband, was arrested.
During interrogation, the driver revealed crucial information that resulted in the arrest of another peddler from Kupwara, the DGP said adding this chain of detentions eventually led to the recovery of an additional four kilos 198 grams of a cocaine-like substance and Rs 43.17 lakh in cash.
Simultaneously, efforts were underway to trace the forward linkage of the cartel, he said. A collaborative effort with IB team, Jammu, and assistance from the Punjab Police culminated in the apprehension of a major drug magnate, Manjeet Singh, hailing from Ludhiana, Punjab, he said.
The subsequent search revealed an astonishing array of fraudulent documents, sophisticated equipment, and an extensive cache of assets, including a revolver of German make, he said.
Among the recovered items were 14 chequebooks, 22 passbooks, 12 Aadhaar cards, 38 fake vehicle number plates, and other fake documents associated with the BJP, Punjab Police, and the Punjab government, Singh said.
He said that a significant amount of cash, gold, silver, and electronic devices were confiscated, underscoring the extensive network and resources at the disposal of the apprehended kingpin.
This operation marks a significant milestone in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking, reaffirming the commitment of law enforcement agencies to curb the menace of narcotic smuggling in the region, the DGP said.
Further investigations are underway to trace any additional accomplices associated with this drug cartel, he added.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
