Rs 14 cr worth opium hidden under trucks in specially created storage seized by CBN

NEW DELHI, Nov 23 (The CONNECT) - Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) Neemuch, have busted inter-state drug cartels involved in trafficking of illicit opium from North Eastern States to Rajasthan and seized contraband drug valued around Rs 14 crore in the international market.

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 North Eastern States to Rajasthan, officers of CBN initiated OPERATION TULIP to bust the inter-state cartels.

On November 15, CBN team intercepted an Ashok Leyland Trawler (22-Wheeler) at Rajadhok Toll Plaza on the Jaipur-Agra Highway and seized 95 packets of Opium weighing 102.910 kg.

During this operation the drug traffickers tried to escape by ramming the truck into the government vehicle following it. The government vehicle and the truck got severely damaged but driver of government vehicle exhibited exceptional bravery and presence of mind along with officers of CBN to foil the escape plan of drug traffickers.

On sustained questioning, the occupants of vehicle admitted that opium was concealed in specially built cavities inside the trawler. After reaching CBN office, the trawler was thoroughly searched and 95 packets of opium was recovered from specially built cavities inside the trawler.

In follow up operation five days later, CBN, intercepted another trawler at a toll tax near Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh and recovered 133 packets of Opium weighing 135.709 kg. The driver of the truck rammed his vehicle into the barricade of toll plaza.

Today, the CBN officers on the basis of intelligence intercepted a Tata Trawler in Hisar district of Haryana and recovered 33 packets of opium weighing 33.870 kg. As it was not possible to search the vehicle on highway owing to safety and security issues, it was brought to CBN office where in all 34 packets of opium weighing 33.87 kg was 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 NDPS Act, 1985 and six persons have also been arrested in this operation so far.

CBN had also made a seizure of 38 kg of illicit opium in Rajasthan which was trafficked from North East in the month of April this year. These seizures have highlighted an important fact that huge quantities of illicit opium are being trafficked from North- East India.