In a significant crackdown on narcotics trafficking, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) apprehended three alleged drug smugglers in Lucknow on Sunday. The operation led to the seizure of a substantial 550 grams of heroin, with an estimated international market value of a staggering Rs 1.5 crore.
Coordinated Operation Leads to Major Haul
The successful raid was a joint effort between the Gorakhpur unit of the ANTF and the local Vibhutikhand police. Acting on a precise tip-off from an informant, the law enforcement teams strategically surrounded a car near the BBD Viraj Tower on Shaheed Path, not far from the Kamta intersection. A thorough search of the vehicle uncovered the concealed narcotics, leading to the immediate arrest of the three occupants.
Identities and Interrogation Details
The individuals taken into custody were identified as Mohammad Anas (24) and Nasir Ali (55), both residents of Tikra Usman village in the Barabanki district, and Mohammad Arsalan (21), from Tikaniya Mau village in the Lucknow district. During initial questioning, the accused confessed that they were in the process of selling the heroin, which they had allegedly procured from a supplier within their own village.
Additional Recoveries and Legal Action
Beyond the primary drug seizure, authorities also confiscated several other items from the accused. These included the Ertiga car used in the crime, four Android mobile phones, and Rs 8,900 in cash. A formal case has been registered under the relevant sections of the stringent NDPS Act at the Vibhutikhand police station. Police are now intensifying their efforts to trace the wider network and supply chain associated with this gang to identify and apprehend other individuals involved in this illicit trade.
