An investigation stemming from a 2024 cannabis seizure in Delhi led police to arrest three major narcotic dealers operating an inter-state drug trafficking network, officials announced on Monday.
The accused—Praduman Ray (30), Dhananjay Kumar (35), and Santosh Kumar (37)—were apprehended in Visakhapatnam after a series of coordinated raids.
In December last year, Delhi Police recovered 52 kilograms of high-quality cannabis from a courier warehouse in Paschim Vihar West. The probe traced the network’s links both forward and backward across states.
A suspect initially detained in Haryana led investigators to Dhananjay Kumar, a key supplier from Patna, Bihar. Following further intelligence, raids were conducted in Patna, but Kumar was ultimately arrested in Visakhapatnam on March 28.
Kumar revealed the identities of his close associates, Praduman and Santosh, who were also captured in Visakhapatnam. The trio admitted to operating a well-organized drug syndicate sourcing contraband near the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border and using courier services to supply Delhi.
The accused, all from Patna with criminal records, were produced before a Delhi court on June 7 and sent to judicial custody. The police continue to investigate their network and other associates.
