In a significant crackdown, the Palamu district police in Jharkhand apprehended two individuals and confiscated a massive quantity of poppy husk during a routine vehicle inspection on a national highway. The operation, based on specific intelligence, led to the seizure of one quintal of the banned substance from a sports utility vehicle.
NH-39 Check Turns Into Major Drug Bust
The incident unfolded on Monday on National Highway 39 near Daltonganj. Acting on a tip-off about a car transporting narcotics, a police team led by Superintendent of Police Reeshma Rameshan set up a check post at the Singra overbridge site. Around noon, the suspected SUV approached the checkpoint.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Chand (23) and Zeishan (30), both residents of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, attempted to evade the police barrier. However, their vehicle was successfully intercepted. A search revealed four large plastic bags stuffed with poppy husk, collectively weighing 100 kilograms.
Inter-State Drug Supply Chain Exposed
During interrogation, the duo revealed the source and destination of the illegal consignment. According to SP Rameshan, the poppy husk was purchased from Chak area, which falls under the Bundu police station in neighbouring Ranchi district. The final destination for the shipment was their native place, Bareilly in UP, where it was to be sold in the black market.
The estimated street value of the seized narcotic is substantial. With poppy husk fetching up to Rs 8,000 per kilogram illegally, the total consignment was worth approximately Rs 8 lakh. This seizure highlights an active inter-state drug smuggling route operating through Jharkhand.
Legal Proceedings and Judicial Custody
The police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, which carries strict penalties. Following their arrest, both accused were produced before a court on Tuesday. The court subsequently remanded them to judicial custody.
Officer-in-charge of Sadar police station, Lalji, confirmed the sequence of events, noting the failed escape attempt. This successful operation underscores the continued vigilance of Jharkhand police against the trafficking of banned substances on state highways.
