Lucknow: In a major breakthrough, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) on Tuesday (May 6) arrested a key member of an inter-state drug trafficking racket from Lucknow and recovered a significant quantity of high-value narcotics.
According to officials, the accused, Prem Babu, was apprehended from Sector-8 near Prerna Park in Radio Colony under Ghazipur police station limits. Upon search, the STF team seized approximately 25 grams of cocaine—valued at nearly ₹25 lakh in the international market—and 50 grams of synthetic drug Mephedrone (MD), estimated to be worth ₹5 lakh internationally.
Items Recovered:
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25 grams of cocaine (international value: approx. ₹25 lakh)
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50 grams of mephedrone/MD (international value: approx. ₹5 lakh)
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Two ATM cards
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One Aadhaar card
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One driving license
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One mobile phone
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₹1,020 in cash
The Operation:
The STF had been receiving credible intelligence over the past several days regarding the activities of drug traffickers operating in and around Lucknow. Under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent of Police, Avnishwar Chandra Srivastava, a team led by Inspector Santosh Kumar Singh and comprising officers Ramashankar Chaudhary, Shailendra Upadhyay, Suraj Kumar, Chetan Singh, Sunil Mishra, and constable Sudhir Kumar was tasked with gathering intel and conducting surveillance.
Based on a tip-off from reliable sources, the STF team learned that a member of the drug trafficking syndicate was present near Prerna Park in Sector-8. Acting swiftly, the STF team conducted a raid and arrested Prem Babu. During the search, they found the drugs and other incriminating items in his possession.
Interrogation Revelations:
During preliminary questioning, Prem Babu confessed to being part of an organized drug trafficking syndicate. He revealed that he had previously worked at a hotel in Lucknow, where he came into contact with members of the drug trade. He later began procuring cocaine and Mephedrone from a Nigerian national based in Palam, New Delhi.
On the morning of May 6, he took a flight to Delhi, collected the drugs, and returned to Lucknow via bus for distribution.
Legal Action:
A case has been registered against the accused under FIR No. 151/2025, Sections 8/22 of the NDPS Act at Ghazipur Police Station, Lucknow. Further legal proceedings are being handled by the local police.
This arrest marks a significant step in the STF’s ongoing efforts to clamp down on drug trafficking networks in Uttar Pradesh.
