The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) arrested a man on Friday and seized 3.44 kilograms of brown sugar, valued at approximately Rs3.5 crore, in a significant blow to a regional narcotics network.
The accused, identified as Sonu Ahmed, was intercepted around 7 a.m. on the Lucknow–Nanpara bypass while transporting the contraband in a private car, based on a confidential tip-off received by the STF.
In addition to the drugs, STF officers also recovered two mobile phones, cash, and an electronic weighing scale from Ahmed’s possession. According to investigators, he is a key member of a narcotics syndicate operating in Uttar Pradesh and across the Nepal border.
During interrogation, Ahmed revealed that he had been procuring brown sugar from a woman named Badam, based in Badi Pakdiya, Lucknow, for over a year. He then supplied the narcotics to clients in Bahraich and surrounding border areas of Nepal. Authorities believe Ahmed has been involved in the distribution of over 100 kg of drugs to date.
A senior STF official stated that the investigation is ongoing, with efforts underway to identify other members of the gang and dismantle the larger supply chain connected to the cross-border narcotics trade.
