Patna, Dec 25 (IANS) In a major crackdown on narcotics smuggling, Patna Police have busted a drug trafficking racket operating under the cover of a tea shop in Bihar’s Maner police station area.
Acting on a tip-off, police raided the residence of the tea shop owner on Wednesday evening and recovered a large cache of drugs, cash, weapons, and valuables.
Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Kartikeya S. Sharma, on Thursday, said in a press conference that the accused had been running an illegal drug business for a long time under the guise of a tea shop, with the involvement of the entire family.
During the raid, police recovered 545 grams of smack, 558 grams of charas, a country-made pistol, three cartridges, a pistol magazine, and Rs 12.16 lakh in cash.
In addition, liquor, 413 grams of silver, 24 grams of gold jewellery, several cars and motorcycles were also seized.
The SSP said the accused had amassed substantial illegal wealth and was in the process of constructing a new house using the proceeds of drug trafficking.
“All the arrested persons are members of the same family. The drug trade had been running for a long time, and their properties will now be confiscated under the law,” Sharma said.
According to police, the drug supply network had links extending to Nepal, making it an inter-state and international operation.
The accused sourced narcotics through the Nepal border and distributed them in small packets across Patna and Maner.
Police also revealed that women members of the household were actively involved in packaging and distribution, and they are currently being questioned.
So far, six people have been arrested, all of them men from the same family.
Among those apprehended are Shivam and Piyush. Raids are ongoing to arrest other members of the network and suppliers operating in different states.
Police sources said several other drug traffickers linked to this supply chain have already been identified and will be arrested soon.
The operation has caused panic among drug peddlers in the area.
The SSP emphasised that Patna Police are committed to dismantling the entire narcotics network and that strict action will be taken against everyone involved, regardless of their role in the operation.
–IANS
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