Kaushambi: In a major crackdown on narcotics smuggling, a joint team of the Saini Police Station and the Excise Department in Kaushambi district seized 59.245 kilograms of ganja and arrested seven drug traffickers during a late-night raid on Wednesday.
According to police sources, the operation was conducted following a tip-off about large-scale ganja trafficking being carried out from a rented shop located along the Kanpur–Prayagraj National Highway near Saini village. The shop was allegedly rented by Pankaj Tripathi, identified as the mastermind behind the smuggling network.
Tripathi reportedly procured ganja in bulk and supplied it to a network of peddlers operating across nearby districts and even parts of Madhya Pradesh. The traffickers then sold the contraband to local customers through small-scale distribution.
During the raid, the police recovered several sacks filled with ganja weighing over 59 kilograms. The arrested accused have been identified as Pankaj Tripathi, Sanjay Tripathi, Pankaj Vishwakarma, Ramkumar Sonkar, Sandeep Kumar, Rahul Yadav, Sunil Patel, and shop owner Sunil Jaiswal.
All the accused were apprehended on the spot and taken into custody. Police officials confirmed that a case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and further investigation is underway to trace the source of the supply and the extent of the smuggling network.
Authorities have termed this as one of the biggest seizures in recent months in the region and reiterated their commitment to intensifying action against illegal drug trade and organized crime.
