BHOPAL: In a pre-dawn operation on Thursday, a team of 330 police personnel swooped down on drug peddlers in Itwara area, which for years has been den for illicit trade. The two-hour raid, one of the biggest in the state capital against the drug peddlers, busted the biggest den of cannabis and opium with the arrest of as many as 31 drug dealers, including seven women.
The cops also netted liquor and drugs like cannabis and opium worth lakhs of rupees in international market. Rupees 11 lakh in cash was also seized from 20 houses during the raids. The operation was so secret that even the local police station barely had any whiff of it until the final call. A message floated on the wireless of SHOs, CSPs and others cops that they had to assemble at police control room at 2 am.
The inspector general of police (IG) Yogesh Deshmukh and deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Irshaad Wali informed the cops about the planned raid. The staff of Shahjahanabad, Bairagarh, Kotwali, Mangalwara, Talaiya, Shyamla hills, Jahangirabad, Teela Zamalpura, TT Nagar and other police stations were roped in for the raid. Four city superintendents of police (CSP) rank officers were also the part of the team that comprised of SHOs of the said police stations. The operation was led by additional SP Manu Vyas.
The personnel were then informed about the operation and then the teams left for Itwara in the form of a convoy from two directions. The entire area was cordoned off by from all for directions to ensure that no one escape from police net. The cops took everyone by surprise as the drug peddlers, unaware of the police action were fast asleep. Cops knocking on their doors woke them from deep slumber. Seeing police at their door, the drug peddlers tried to give them a slip, but in vain. The operation ended in the early hours of the day with arrest of 31 persons and confiscation drugs.
Seven women drug peddlers among arrested. Rs 11 lakh, liquor, cannabis and opium worth lakhs in international market seized
Committed to make Bhopal drug-free zone, IG Yogesh Deshmukh
IG Yogesh Deshmukh said, police were committed to make Bhopal a drug-free zone. “All the districts falling under Bhopal zone will be eliminated of the drug peddlers, very soon, he said. The accused arrested on Thursday have been booked under NDPS and other relevant Sections, said IG adding that the operations against the drug peddlers would continue till the target of making Bhopal a drug-free zone is achieved
Kanzar basti area near Talaiya outpost has been hotbed of drug trade for years. Police had held discussions with NGOs and other eminent residents to make Bhopal, a drug-free zone.
