SRINAGAR: In a bid to stop the smuggling of drugs from outside states to Jammu and Kashmir, authorities have directed the Drug Control Department to set up surprise checkpoints at Lakhanpur.

   Lakhanpur town falls in Kathua district and is the entrance to Jammu and Kashmir from Punjab and the rest of India.

   Muhammad Iqbal Palla, Deputy Drugs Controller Jammu said that Kathua is a sensitive district and there remains an apprehension of the influx of habit-forming substances through a clandestine manner from neighboring states.

    In order to stop the illegal entry of drugs to Jammu and Kashmir drug control officials have been asked to lay down surprise nakkas at Lakhanpur for random checks of Jammu-Kashmir-bound Consignments of Pharmaceutical Preparations.

  Police in past have arrested dozens of drug dealers and confiscated big consignments at Lakhanpur check-point. Most of the arrested drug dealers are non-locals. [KNT]