Daijiworld Media Network – Ranchi

Ranchi, May 22: Jharkhand Police seized narcotics worth more than Rs 50 lakh and arrested five persons in two separate operations carried out in Chatra and Hazaribag districts, officials said on Friday.

In Chatra district, police recovered 324 kg of opium husk from two four-wheelers intercepted under the Sadar police station limits on Thursday.

According to Chatra Superintendent of Police Animesh Naithani, the operation was launched following a tip-off about transportation of opium husk to neighbouring Hazaribag district. During a vehicle-checking drive, police recovered 169 kg of opium husk from one vehicle and 155 kg from another.

The estimated market value of the seized contraband is around Rs 50 lakh, officials said.

However, the drivers of both vehicles reportedly managed to flee from the spot, and police have launched a search operation to trace them.

In a separate operation in Hazaribag district, police arrested five persons and seized around 54 grams of brown sugar from their possession.

Hazaribag Superintendent of Police Aman Kumar said the arrested accused were part of a narcotics syndicate. Among them was Rahul Kumar, against whom 19 criminal cases are reportedly registered across five police stations in the district.

Police seized approximately 52 grams of brown sugar along with six mobile phones from the accused. The value of the recovered narcotics has been estimated at around Rs 1.24 lakh.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly revealed that they procured narcotics from suppliers in adjoining Chatra district at rates between Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,400 per gram and sold them to addicts at higher prices.

Police said all the arrested individuals have criminal backgrounds and were remanded to judicial custody on Thursday.