Police in Jharkhand’s Chatra district conducted two separate operations against drug traffickers and illegal narcotics syndicates, resulting in the seizure of opium, doda, and poppy seeds valued at over Rs 1 crore. Three interstate smugglers, including the alleged mastermind, were arrested, while five others managed to escape during the raids.
Chatra Superintendent of Police Animesh Naithani shared that the seized contraband’s total value is estimated at around Rs 1.01 crore. The first operation targeted illegal trade in banned opium near Bajrahi Maidan on the Bagra-Chatra Road. A special raiding team, led by Simaria Sub-Divisional Police Officer Nagar Goje Shubham Bhau Saheb, arrested two accused, Jivlal Ganzhu and Mohammad Faizan Malik, who were attempting to escape.
Ganzhu, believed to be the mastermind of the interstate smuggling network, sourced opium locally and supplied it to various states. The police recovered opium, a TVS Luna, and doda during the operation. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend two other accused who escaped. In the second operation at Ichahar forest, police seized a significant quantity of doda and poppy seeds worth around Rs 54 lakh in the international market.
The operations involved multiple police officers and personnel, with cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Authorities are continuing their efforts to combat drug trafficking in the region.
