The suspected main supplier of poppy husk to several northern states was arrested from Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag, Himachal Pradesh Police said on Sunday. The accused's name had cropped up during the probe into the recovery of 18 quintals of poppy husk in Una district's Haroli in May 2020, the police said.

The accused, identified as Manjoor Ahmed Ganni (51), was allegedly the main producer and supplier of poppy husk in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and neighbouring states and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Ganni was booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. While six accused were arrested from various places in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, Ganni was absconding.?

The police had twice visited Anantnag to arrest him but Ganni managed to flee. Senior police officers from Una police were in regular contact with their counterparts in Anantnag for intelligence about Ganni's movement, said Superintent of Police (Una) Arjit Sen Thakur.?

Two days ago, a police team was sent to Anantnag and, after a joint operation, the accused was arrested and brought to Haroli on Sunday, he said.?The accused had purchased several properties in Kashmir using his drug money.