Kanpur (UP), Jun 9 (PTI) In a major crackdown on narcotics smuggling, Kanpur police seized over 600 kilograms of cannabis worth nearly Rs 10 crore after a dramatic 15-kilometre chase on GT Road, officials said on Tuesday.
One accused has been arrested, a senior official said.
The operation was carried out jointly by the Crime Branch and Rawatpur Police under the anti-drug campaign “Operation White Powder”.
The arrested accused has been identified as Liyaqat Ali (30), a resident of Haryana, who was allegedly transporting the consignment from Odisha for supply across several northern states, including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) Sumit Sudhakar Ramteke said the breakthrough came after continuous monitoring of call detail records (CDRs) and technical surveillance of individuals linked to previous narcotics cases.
“During analysis, we received intelligence about a large cannabis consignment moving through Kanpur. Teams were immediately activated and tracking was started,” Ramteke added.
Police received information late Monday night about a truck carrying narcotics towards Agra, Noida, Delhi and Haryana, the ADCP said and adding, Acting swiftly, Crime Branch and Rawatpur Police laid a trap near Panki and began tailing the vehicle.
Sensing police presence, the truck driver attempted to flee, triggering a nearly 15-kilometre chase before the vehicle was finally intercepted near Gurdev Palace after barricades were placed on the route.
During the search, police recovered more than 600 kilograms of cannabis hidden inside multiple parcels and boxes containing packets weighing 10 kg, 8 kg, 5 kg, 3 kg and 2 kg.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime and Headquarters) Sankalp Sharma said Kanpur Police has intensified its anti-drug campaign over the past few months under “operation white powder”.
“So far, nearly 100 accused involved in narcotics trafficking have been arrested and around 800 kilograms of narcotic substances had already been recovered even before this latest seizure,” Sharma said.
Police said preliminary investigation revealed that the cannabis consignment originated from Odisha and was meant for distribution in Agra, Delhi, Noida and parts of Haryana.
During interrogation, the arrested accused allegedly revealed the names of three more associates — Jamshed, Javed and Junaid — who are suspected to be part of the interstate trafficking syndicate.
Police are now analysing mobile phone data and technical evidence to trace the wider network. Raids are underway to arrest the remaining accused and dismantle the entire supply chain. PTI COR KIS NB NB
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.