Major interstate drug bust: 88 kg opium seized, truck driver held

In a joint op, Sirsa and Rajasthan Police seized 88.97 kg opium worth ₹4.50 crore from a truck on NH-9. The driver was arrested. The narcotics, sourced from Siliguri, were hidden in special cavities and were being taken to Jodhpur.

In a major crackdown on narcotics smuggling, Sirsa Police, in coordination with Rajasthan Police, seized nearly 88 kg 970 grams of opium valued at around ₹4.50 crore in an interstate operation and arrested a truck driver linked to the consignment.

Details of the Seizure

According to officials, the joint team of Thana Ding Police and Rajasthan Police conducted a vehicle check near a toll plaza on NH-9. A detailed search of the vehicle revealed specially fabricated hidden compartments made using iron angles in the lower section of the truck. The police recovered 95 packets of opium from these concealed cavities. Officials also seized ₹40,000 in cash from the accused.

Arrest and Initial Interrogation

The arrested driver has been identified as Kishna Ram, son of Chhoga Ram, a resident of Bishnoyian Ki Dhani in Bhania, Tehsil Ranawas, District Pali in Rajasthan. Preliminary interrogation revealed that the consignment was allegedly procured from the Siliguri region of West Bengal and was being transported to Jodhpur in Rajasthan. Police suspect the involvement of a wider interstate trafficking network.

A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Thana Ding. The accused will be produced before a court and taken on police remand for further interrogation to trace backwards and forward linkages in the drug supply chain.

Haryana Police's Stance on Drug Trafficking

Haryana Director General of Police Ajay Singhal appreciated the joint operation and said the seizure had dealt a significant blow to inter-state drug trafficking networks. He reiterated that under the state government's zero-tolerance policy towards drugs, the police force is working with a focus not only on arrests but on dismantling the entire narcotics ecosystem.

He further said coordinated inter-state operations, intelligence inputs, and technical surveillance are being strengthened to intensify action against drug traffickers operating across state borders under the leadership of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. (ANI)

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