BHOPAL: Inter-state buses are increasingly emerging as a preferred mode of transport for drug traffickers, with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seizing synthetic drugs worth crores of rupees in a series of operations across Madhya Pradesh.
In its latest operation, DRI officials arrested an alleged drug trafficker travelling on a bus in Madhya Pradesh and seized amphetamine worth Rs 5.32 crore from his possession.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs that a drug trafficker would be travelling by bus from Delhi to Bhopal with a substantial consignment of narcotic drugs, DRI officials intercepted the suspect on Thursday at Sonkatch Toll Plaza in a district neighbouring Bhopal.
A search of the light brown duffle bag carried by the accused led to the recovery of three bright silver-coloured plastic packets containing a crystalline white substance weighing 6.642 kg. Tests conducted using an NDPS field test kit confirmed the presence of amphetamine.
The drug, valued at Rs 5.32 crore in the international illicit market, was seized, and the accused was arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Significantly, the arrested accused was already out on bail in another NDPS case registered by Bengaluru Police, indicating that he was a repeat offender.
Cash amounting to Rs 48,400 was also recovered from the accused's luggage. He reportedly admitted that the money was proceeds from drug trafficking. The cash was subsequently seized.
Earlier, on October 20, crystalline methamphetamine, a synthetic stimulant, worth Rs 7.32 crore was seized from a man travelling on a bus at Bhopal's Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) by a DRI team.
In another operation on September 21, DRI officials, acting on specific intelligence, intercepted a Nigerian woman at the Purple Bus Travel Agency near Teen Imli Chauraha in Indore. She was allegedly preparing to travel by bus to Pune and was suspected of carrying narcotic and psychotropic substances.
A search of her navy-blue duffle bag led to the recovery of 1.120 kg of amphetamine in crystalline and powder form, 296 gm of amphetamine/MDMA tablets and 10 gm of hydroponic cannabis. The seized drugs were valued at approximately Rs 1.19 crore in the illicit market.
The woman was arrested under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985.
