625 kg poppy husk seized, 2 held

Our Correspondent

Abohar, October 24

The Khuyiansarwer police in Abohar subdivision seized 625-kg poppy husk and 40,000 sedative tablets from a truck registered in Rajasthan.

A team led by ASI Pargat Singh yesterday intercepted a truck that was transporting chemical powder bags from Gujarat for delivery in Punjab near Usmankhera village on the Abohar-Sriganganagar highway. A search operation led to the seizure of 25 bags of poppy husk and a carton full of sedative tablets that were hidden under the chemical powder bags. Driver Lakhwinder Singh Lakha of Manewala and his assistant Gurmeet Singh Matta of Wadian Kotbhai in Muktsar district were held under the NDPS Act.

There has been a spurt in the smuggling of drugs through Rajasthan this month. Rajasthan had banned poppy husk sales but it was freely available in Madhya Pradesh, inquiries revealed.

On October 10, the police seized 16-kg poppy husk and 300-gm opium milk from a truck.

On October 8, the police seized 100-kg poppy husk by intercepting a tractor-trailer on the Abohar-Sriganganagar highway.

DSP Rahul Bhardwaj said vigil on the highway that connected Abohar with Rajasthan had been intensified. CCTV cameras were recording movement of vehicles round the clock, he added.