In a significant operation against narcotics trafficking in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, police have dismantled a large opium smuggling network. Three smugglers were apprehended red-handed during a raid in Rogod Village under the Tebo police station area. Authorities seized 20 kg of illegal opium poppy husk, two motorcycles used for trafficking, and Rs 7 lakh in cash from the suspects.
Tebo police station incharge Sushil Kumar Marandi revealed that a tip-off alerted the district police chief about smugglers planning to convene in a forested area near Rogod Village for a substantial opium transaction. Acting swiftly on the information, a specialized search team, led by the station incharge, was assembled for the operation. The police strategically set up a trap in the forest adjacent to Rogod Village.
Upon the smugglers’ arrival to finalize the drug deal, the police team encircled them from all directions. Realizing the trap, the accused abandoned their motorcycles and attempted to escape into the dense forest. However, alert police officers pursued and captured all three suspects. The arrested individuals were identified as Buddhanath Purti and Soma Hassa Purti from Rogod Village, and Mangra Huni Purti from Kotgarh Village.
The police have filed a case against the trio under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Following legal procedures, all three were remanded to judicial custody on Friday. The station incharge highlighted that a significant portion of the Tebo police station area is encompassed by remote and dense forests, exploited by some villagers for clandestine opium cultivation in secluded areas. Authorities are actively gathering intelligence to dismantle the entire syndicate and its interstate trafficking network.
