In a significant narcotics bust, the Jalandhar police in Punjab apprehended a 25-year-old postgraduate student on Saturday, recovering a substantial 15.2 kilograms of charas (a cannabis product) from his possession. The arrest has shed light on cross-border drug trafficking operations with alleged links to networks in Nepal.
Nervous Suspect Nabbed During Police Checking
The arrest was made during a routine police checking drive near the Railway Colony area. According to Ravinder Kumar, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Navi Baradari police station, a police team grew suspicious of a young man approaching from the Bashirpura side. The individual, later identified as Mohammad Tanveer, a native of Bihar, became visibly nervous upon spotting the officers.
"The suspect threw a white sack and tried to flee from the spot. Our team immediately overpowered him," stated SHO Kumar. Upon inspecting the discarded sack, the police made the startling discovery of 15 kg and 200 grams of charas.
Cross-Border Smuggling Route from Nepal Uncovered
During subsequent interrogation, the accused, who is an MA Sociology student, revealed critical details of the smuggling operation. He disclosed that he had procured approximately 15 kg of charas from Nepal and concealed it in a suitcase. Tanveer reportedly travelled from Nepal to Uttar Pradesh, where the contraband was transferred into the sack for easier transport.
Police investigations indicate that the accused has connections to a charas trafficking network operating out of Nepal. He told investigators that the separate 200-gram packet was kept as a sample to show prospective buyers. At the time of his arrest in Jalandhar, he was awaiting a location from a buyer to finalize the deal after presenting the sample.
Past Criminal Activity and Ongoing Probe
Officers revealed that Tanveer has a history of illicit activities, having been previously involved in smuggling liquor from Punjab to Bihar. While he claimed that this was his first foray into charas smuggling, the police are treating this statement with caution and are verifying its authenticity.
The accused was produced before a local court, which remanded him to police custody for further investigation. Senior police officials confirmed that his statements are being thoroughly cross-checked. A major focus of the ongoing probe is to identify the intended distribution areas for the seized narcotics and to trace other individuals involved in the wider trafficking network.
This arrest underscores the persistent challenge of interstate and international drug smuggling routes affecting the region and highlights the vigilance of the Punjab police in conducting checks and intercepting such consignments.
