Tejaji Nagar police in Indore seized a large consignment of poppy husk from a truck during a routine checking drive on the bypass and arrested the driver. The recovered contraband weighed 87 kg and was hidden in specially constructed compartments near the diesel tank and toolbox of the vehicle.
Police stated that the total value of the seized property, including the truck and the narcotics, is estimated at Rs 35 lakh.
According to DCP Krishna Lalchandani, a team of Tejaji Nagar police stopped the truck on AB Road after noticing the driver, identified as Butta Singh, a resident of Jalandhar, Punjab, behaving nervously and attempting to drive away. Upon questioning, Singh initially did not provide clear answers.
A detailed search revealed a fake diesel tank and hidden cabin space designed to conceal the narcotic substance. During interrogation, Singh reportedly admitted that he had learned this method from a film and had transported similar consignments from Agar Malwa district to Punjab via Indore. He confessed that he had been paid approximately Rs 10,000 per delivery and had transported such consignments across multiple states. Singh also revealed that demand for narcotics rises during winter, which is why he moved them in bulk.
Authorities noted that Singh was already named in a previous NDPS Act case registered in Kathgarh, Punjab. An offence under the NDPS Act was registered, and the truck was seized. Audio and video documentation of the operation was recorded on-site in accordance with new criminal law provisions.
Police are continuing their investigation to trace the supply network and identify buyers linked to the illegal narcotics trade.
