UP STF and Bihar Police Seize 684 Kg Cannabis Worth Rs 1.71 Crore in Major Interstate Drug Bust

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) successfully tracked the movement of a suspicious truck suspected of transporting a substantial amount of cannabis.

In a significant operation against interstate narcotics trafficking, the Uttar Pradesh STF collaborated with Bihar Police to apprehend three members of a drug smuggling network in Gaya's Barachatti. Authorities seized 684 kg of cannabis, estimated to be worth approximately Rs 1.71 crore.

The three individuals arrested were identified as Vikas Yadav from UP's Chandauli, along with Sanjeev Tiwari and Dheeraj Kumar Gupta, both residents of Bihar's Rohtas district.

During the operation, law enforcement recovered the truck used for transporting the illegal substances, a Hyundai Creta SUV that served as a pilot vehicle, six mobile phones, and two driving licenses from the accused individuals.

UP STF Additional SP Raj Kumar Mishra informed NDTV that the operation involved extensive intelligence gathering over several days, following credible information indicating that narcotics smuggling networks were actively moving large shipments from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh to Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Acting on these inputs, the STF monitored the movement of a suspicious truck believed to be carrying a substantial quantity of cannabis from Odisha's Sambalpur-Boudh region to Bihar's Dehri.

Upon confirmation, the UP STF coordinated efforts with the Bihar Police and jointly intercepted the vehicles, resulting in the successful arrests and recovery of the contraband.

During interrogation, Dheeraj Kumar Gupta admitted to leading an organized drug trafficking operation with Sanjeev Tiwari as his partner. The cannabis shipment, concealed inside salt sacks, had been sourced from suppliers named Saroj and Ashok in Odisha and was intended for delivery to Balram Pandey, a narcotics distributor in Rohtas district.

According to police, Pandey further distributes cannabis throughout Bihar and neighboring UP districts, including Chandauli, Varanasi, and Ghazipur. The accused reportedly employed the Creta car as a pilot vehicle, traveling ahead of the truck to detect police checkpoints and alert the driver.

Authorities have registered a case at Barachatti police station in Gaya under the relevant sections of the NDPS Act, and investigations are continuing.