Varanasi: In a joint operation, Chandauli Police and STF Varanasi seized a consignment of 501.3kg illegal cannabis being smuggled from Odisha and arrested two members of the gang were arrested on Tuesday.The contraband worth Rs. 1.25 crore in the international market was recovered during a checking drive near Parag Dairy, adjacent to Katriya underpass in Chandauli district. Police intercepted a truck and during a search, found 20 sacks of cannabis concealed among consignments of iron angles and spices.A case was registered under Section 8/20 NDPS Act, and further legal proceedings are being conducted.The arrested persons were identified as Surendra Singh and Rajkumar Yadav, both residents of Rohtas district in Bihar. During interrogation, the accused told police that they procured cannabis from Odisha’s Boudh district and transported it to Bihar and the Purvanchal region by hiding it among legitimate goods. They sell the narcotics at higher prices in Varanasi and nearby districts.The accused also revealed that members of the smuggling network generally do not share their real identities or addresses to evade law enforcement. They claimed to have transported similar consignments on several occasions in the past and were planning to distribute the seized cannabis in the Varanasi region.Chandauli Superintendent of Police Akash Patel said police are gathering information about other members of the network and investigating the wider smuggling operation.
