Srinagar, May 18 -- Police in the southern district of Anantnag conducted large-scale 'Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs) at 20 locations across the district in a crackdown on drug peddlers, kingpins, and their associates.

"To enhance the effectiveness of the searches, K9 (canine) squads were also deployed during the operations. The searches primarily focused on suspected hideouts, transit points, and locations linked with individuals believed to be involved in narcotics trafficking or providing support to the illegal network," a police spokesperson said.

The district-wide operation forms part of the police's sustained strategy to dismantle the entire narcotics ecosystem by targeting not only peddlers but also facilitators, financiers...