Chatra Cops Bust Interstate Drug Racket, Seize 1 Cr Worth Drugs

Chatra district police have struck a decisive blow against an interstate narcotics syndicate, confiscating opium, doda and posta seeds collectively valued at more than one crore rupees. Three accused, including the gang’s key planner, were arrested in coordinated night-and-day raids while five others escaped into the darkness. The seizures expose how local produce is being aggregated and smuggled into neighbouring states. Addressing reporters at the district headquarters, SP Animesh Naithani explained that intelligence indicated active opium trading near Bajrahi Maidan on the Bagra-Chatra Road. A quick-response team under SDPO Nagar Goje Shubham Bhau Saheb moved in and detained two men identified as Jivalal Ganjhu of Lutidih and Mohammad Faizan Malik of Ichak Kala. Officers recovered 7.196 kilograms of opium from the duo’s scooter and later unearthed 78.4 kilograms of doda from Ganjhu’s house. Ganjhu is believed to have been the linchpin, collecting contraband from farmers and forwarding it to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar through Faizan. Two additional suspects named Haider Khan and Dilawar Khan are still being hunted. Simultaneously, another team descended on Ichahar forest in Lawalong block after receiving information about a large doda cache being loaded onto a pickup van. Officers nabbed Kailash Ganjhu while three accomplices fled. Acting on his disclosure, police combed three forest locations and seized 361 kilograms of doda, 23.82 kilograms of mixed doda-posta and 25.29 kilograms of posta seeds. The consignment carries an estimated market value of 54 lakh rupees. FIRs under NDPS provisions have been lodged at Lawalong and Simaria police stations. The operations were executed with the assistance of local armed forces and supervisory officers including SHO Lawalong Vidyak Prasad Yadav. Authorities say further arrests are likely as the investigation widens.