A joint operation by the Special Task Force (STF) and Udham Singh Nagar police led to the arrest of two men from Uttar Pradesh with 3.008 kilogrammes of opium valued at around Rs36 lakh near the UP-Uttarakhand border close to Kichha.
The consignment was reportedly intended for supply in Kichha, Rudrapur, and Sitarganj, according to STF Senior Superintendent of Police Navneet Singh Bhullar. The team intercepted the suspects along with a motorcycle registered in Uttarakhand (UK06BE6875).
The arrested men have been identified as:
Salim, 45, resident of Bahipura, Bareilly, UP
Sher Mohammad, 35, resident of Bahipura, Bareilly, UP
SSP Bhullar stated that both are involved in interstate drug trafficking. Salim has prior criminal cases under the IPC and the Gangsters Act, including a 2015 robbery case involving Rs40 lakh. During questioning, he admitted smuggling drugs to finance his legal cases.
Initial investigation revealed that the drugs were brought from UP and distributed across Uttarakhand for profit. Authorities are now tracing other suspected peddlers in the network.
SSP Bhullar highlighted that drug trafficking fuels organized crime, including arms trafficking, targeted killings, terrorism, and human trafficking. The STF emphasized that its focus is on major operators rather than small carriers.
