Patna: A joint team of Bihar Special Task Force (STF), Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and local police, on Tuesday arrested two members of an interstate drug smuggling gang operating across Bihar, Assam, and neighbouring states. The accused were apprehended in Shahpur police station area of Patna City.The arrested accused were identified as Manish Kumar Singh and his brother Kanhaiya Kumar, residents of Mohaddinagar police station area in Samastipur district. During the raid, police recovered 117 gm of heroin, valued at Rs23 lakh in international market; three mobile phones; a SUV; and four gold rings, from their possession. A case was registered at Shahpur police station in this regard, and further investigation is underway.The arrests were made following information provided by three other smugglers, who were nabbed earlier the same day in Darbhanga. Acting on a tip-off, the Bihar STF, with Darbhanga police, raided a hideout in Sadar police station area of Darbhanga district and arrested three smugglers. The arrested smugglers were identified as Kundan Kumar, Deepu Kumar, and Ratnesh Kumar—all residents of Phenhara police station area in East Champaran district.From their possession, police seized 228 gm of heroin, valued around Rs45 lakh in the international market; Rs1,400 in cash, and four mobile phones. A case was registered at Sadar Police Station, Darbhanga, in this regard.Interrogation of the three revealed that they purchased the heroin from a supplier in Silchar (Assam), and were smuggling it into Bihar. The gang’s network is reportedly active across Bihar, Assam, and adjacent states.According to STF officers, Ratnesh and Manish have previously been convicted under the NDPS Act and have served jail terms. Deepu has also been imprisoned in the past.
