Madhya Pradesh: Police seize 272 kilograms of illicit opium in the last 9 days

Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh): In continuance of Anti-Drug operations, officers of Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) Neemuch initiated “OPERATION TULIP” to bust inter-state drug cartels and they have got massive success as well as team busted three major smuggling bids and seized 272 kilograms of illicit opium.

The international market value of seized material stands around Rs 2.72 crore as the opium rate in the international market varies from Rs 90,000 to 1 lakh per kilogram.

During these three seizures, the team after receiving specific intelligence that drug traffickers of Rajasthan were using trawler trucks having specially built cavities for smuggling huge quantities of illicit opium from the North Eastern States to Rajasthan, officers claimed.

On November 15, officers of CBN intercepted one trawler (22-wheeler) at Rajadhok Toll Plaza, Jaipur-Agra Highway, Jaipur (Raj.) and seized 95 packets of Opium weighing 102.910 kilograms.

Upon sustained questioning, the occupants of the vehicle revealed that Opium was concealed in specially built cavities inside the trawler. After reaching the CBN office, the trawler was thoroughly searched and a total of 95 packets of opium were recovered from specially built cavities inside the trawler.

In a follow-up operation on November 20, officers of CBN, intercepted another trawler at a toll tax near Barabanki, UP and recovered 133 packets of opium weighing 135.709 kilograms.

The driver of the truck rammed his vehicle into the barricade of a toll plaza. The vehicle was brought to the CBN office and thoroughly searched and 133 packets of Opium weighing 135.709 kilograms were recovered and seized. These packets were concealed in a special cavity made underneath the trawler between the rear tyres.

On November 23, officers of CBN on the basis of specific intelligence intercepted one more trawler in Hisar district (Haryana) and recovered 33 packets of Opium weighing 33.870 kilograms.

After gathering Specific intelligence that a Tata Trawler having Registration No. of Rajasthan would be carrying a huge quantity of illicit Opium from Northeast India towards Rajasthan via Haryana, surveillance on the anticipated route was mounted by the CBN officers.

Subsequently, the suspected Trawler truck was identified and intercepted at a toll plaza situated near Hisar (Haryana).

As it was not possible to search the vehicle on the highway owing to safety and security issues, it was brought to CBN Office. The vehicle was thoroughly searched and 34 packets of Opium weighing 33.870 kilograms were recovered from a specially built cavity underneath the front side of the trawler.

The vehicles along with recovered illicit Opium have been seized under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985 and 06 persons have also been arrested in this operation so far. Further investigation is under progress.