Central Bureau of Narcotics seizes 272 kg illicit Opium worth Rs.14 crore from Inter-State Drug Cartels

Inter-state drug cartels involved in the transportation of illegal opium from North East India to Rajasthan have been busted by Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) Neemuch officials as part of ongoing anti-drug operations. The value of the seized opium in the international market is around Rs.14 crore.

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 these inter-state cartels.

Officers from the Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) stopped an Ashok Leyland Trawler (22-Wheeler) on November 15, 222, at the Rajadhok Toll Plaza on the Jaipur-Agra Highway in Jaipur (Raj. ), and they found 95 packages of opium inside, totaling 102.910 kg.

The drug traffickers attempted to flee during this operation by slamming the truck into the official car accompanying it. The government car and the truck suffered considerable damage, but the driver of the government vehicle and the CBN officers displayed extraordinary bravery and presence of mind to thwart the drug traffickers’ escape plan. After lengthy interrogation, the car’s passengers admitted that the trawler’s specially constructed cavities contained opium. Following arrival at the CBN office, the Ashok Leyland Truck (Trawler) was carefully examined, and a total of 95 packages of opium weighing 102.910 kg were found inside of the trawler’s specifically constructed cavities.

In follow up operation dated 20.11.2022, officers of CBN, intercepted a Tata Trawler at a toll tax near Barabanki (U.P.) and recovered 133 packets of Opium weighing 135.709 kg. The driver of the truck rammed his vehicle into the barricade of toll plaza.

The vehicle was brought to CBN office and thoroughly searched and 133 packets of Opium weighing 135.709 kg was recovered & seized. These packets were concealed in a special cavity made underneath the trawler between the rear tyres.

Officers of the CBN stopped a Tata Trawler on November 23, 222, near Hisar, Haryana, based on particular intelligence, and found 33 packets of opium totaling 33.870 kg. The CBN officers mounted surveillance along the expected route after obtaining specific evidence that a Tata Trawler with a Rajasthan registration number would be transporting a significant amount of illegal opium from North East India to Rajasthan via Haryana.

Subsequently, the suspected Trawler truck was identified and was intercepted at a toll plaza situated near Hisar (Haryana). As it was not possible to search the vehicle on 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 kg was recovered from a specially built cavity underneath the front side of the trawler.

The vehicles and illicit opium were seized in accordance with the NDPS Act, 1985, and six people have also been detained thus far in this operation.

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.

Further investigation is under progress.