In a major crackdown, Jharkhand Police have arrested five individuals and seized narcotics worth over Rs 50 lakh in coordinated operations across Chatra and Hazaribag districts, disrupting a significant drug supply chain.
Jharkhand Police arrested five people and seized narcotics worth over Rs 50 lakh in two separate operations across two districts, officials said on Friday.
In Chatra district, police seized two four-wheelers and recovered 324 kg of opium husks within the Sadar police station limits on Thursday, a police officer said.
The police intercepted the vehicles following a tip-off that some individuals were transporting opium husks to Hazaribag district. Based on the information, a vehicle checking drive was conducted, leading to the recovery of 169 kg of opium husk from one vehicle and 155 kg from another, Chatra Superintendent of Police (SP) Animesh Naithani said.
He said the market value of the seized opium husks was around Rs 50 lakh. The drivers of both vehicles managed to escape, and raids are underway to trace them.
In another operation in Hazaribag district, five persons were arrested, and 54 grams of brown sugar was seized from their possession.
"We arrested five members of a syndicate, including a man named Rahul Kumar, against whom 19 criminal cases are pending at five police stations in the district. A total of 52 grams of brown sugar and six mobile phones were seized from their possession. The seized drugs are valued at Rs 1.24 lakh," Hazaribag SP Aman Kumar said.
He said that the accused told police that they usually procure narcotics from a supplier in the adjoining Chatra district for Rs 1,200â1,400 per gram and sell it to addicts by charging around Rs 1,000 more.
All the accused have criminal antecedents and were sent to judicial custody on Thursday, the SP said.