Three caught smuggling poppy straw to Hyderabad, contraband worth ₹1.25 crore seized

All three are natives of Rajasthan and turned to drug peddling due to alleged financial struggles, Commissioner of Police said

A gang of three men involved in an inter-State drug trafficking operation were nabbed by the Special Operations Team (SOT) of the LB Nagar Zone and Meerpet Police. Acting on credible intelligence, police apprehended the trio while they were transporting a banned narcotic substance — poppy straw — from Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh to Hyderabad. The operation led to the seizure of 53.5 kilograms of poppy straw valued at approximately ₹1.25 crore.

The arrested were identified as 21-year-old Mangilal Bishnoi, a steel railing worker from Meerpet, who was previously involved in a narcotics case in 2023, 25-year-old Mangi Lal Dhaka and Bhira Ram, Commissioner of Rachakonda Police G. Sudheer Babu said.

“All three are natives of Rajasthan and turned to drug peddling due to alleged financial struggles. They collaborated with a supplier, Pintu alias Mohan Singh, from Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh, to source poppy straw at a low price. The substance was smuggled into Hyderabad using public transport like trains and buses and sold to customers at inflated rates,” Mr. Sudheer Babu said.

On Sunday evening, the SOT LB Nagar Zone team and the Meerpet Police apprehended the three suspects near Ashok Reddy Colony in Meerpet. During the operation, 53.5 kilograms of poppy straw, three mobile phones, and other incriminating evidence were seized. “The main supplier, Pintu, and other accomplices, including receivers and consumers, remain at large. Efforts are underway to identify and apprehend the remaining individuals involved in the network,” added the Commissioner.

Poppy straw, the residue left after opium extraction, contains small amounts of morphine and can produce toxic effects when consumed in significant quantities. It is often mixed with water, lemon, or tea for sedative effect. However, misuse can lead to severe health risks, including respiratory depression, coma, and even death. Classified as a narcotic under the NDPS Act, 1985, the unauthorised possession, sale, or use of poppy straw is punishable under law.

Published - December 16, 2024 06:35 pm IST