In a decisive move against the city’s illicit drug network, Lucknow Police arrested two men who were operating a marijuana smuggling racket under the guise of a scrap trading business.
The accused, Santosh Patel (40) and Parmendra (34), originally from West Champaran, Bihar, were caught near the Engineering College bridge following a late-night patrol prompted by a tip-off.
According to SHO Shivanand Mishra of Madiaon Police Station, the two were intercepted while preparing to deliver 5.5 kilograms of ganja sourced from Odisha. “Their operation revealed a supply chain stretching from Odisha to Lucknow,” he confirmed.
Upon interrogation, the duo admitted to buying marijuana at low prices in Odisha and reselling it at a markup in Lucknow. They lived in Kanchanpuri Matiari, Chinhat, and had used their scrap business as a front to dodge suspicion and law enforcement.
Authorities are now investigating whether the pair is part of a broader criminal network and are checking for any past records across other jurisdictions.
This arrest adds momentum to Lucknow’s ongoing crackdown on narcotics, underscoring the creative disguises traffickers use and the need for constant vigilance.
