Times News NetworkKanpur: The Special Task Force on Monday arrested two alleged drug traffickers from the Barra police station area of the city and recovered 4.057 kilograms of charas, valued at about Rs 20 lakh in the international market.According to the officials, the accused were identified as Shariq and Riyaz Khan, both residents of Gammu Khan Ka Hata under the Colonelganj police station area.The STF said the arrests were made on Monday, at around 1 pm near the underpass built in front of a hotel under the Barra police station area, after the team laid a siege and trapped the suspects.During the search, the STF recovered 4.057 kilograms of charas, two mobile phones, one PAN card, one Aadhaar card and Rs 3500 cash from the accused.According to the STF, it had been receiving intelligence inputs for several days that international drug mafias were sending huge consignments of charas to various districts of Uttar Pradesh through carriers from the India-Nepal border area.Acting on the input, teams were deployed for intelligence gathering under the supervision of ASP STF Dinesh Kumar Singh. On Monday, the STF received specific information that the traffickers were going to reach Kanpur with charas from Nepal via Bettiah district of Bihar.The STF team, comprising sub-inspector Vidyasagar, laid a trap. Following legal provisions, the operation was carried out with the assistant commissioner of police of Naubasta Dr Abhishek Rahul present at the spot, and both accused were arrested red-handed, the STF said.During questioning, the accused confessed that they were part of an organised gang that had been bringing charas from Nepal and Bihar for the past several years and supplied it at high prices in Kanpur and nearby districts of Uttar Pradesh. The STF said the recovered consignment was also brought by them from Bettiah in Bihar, and the questioning revealed a supply network into Uttar Pradesh via Nepal and Bihar.A case was registered at Barra police station under Case Crime No. 237/2026, Section 8/20 NDPS Act, the police station in-charge said.
