Patna, Feb 1 The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has secured a 10-year jail term for a truck driver and his assistant in a Special NDPS Court in Gaya for carrying 1,419 Kg of poppy straw and 4.7 kg of opium, an official said on Sunday.
Shrawan Kumar, the main carrier and receiver, and Suraj Sharma, both residents of Kurukshetra in Haryana, were arrested with the contraband on August 11, 2021, said the official in a statement.
The conviction was pronounced by the District and Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge (NDPS), 3rd Court, Gaya, on Saturday, said the statement.
The court sentenced the two convicts to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 2 lakh each and ordered that if the convicts fail to pay the fine, they would have to undergo imprisonment for two more years.
Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Patna Zonal Unit, secured the conviction under Sec 15(c) and 18(b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
The convicts’ truck bearing registration number HR67A- 2538 was intercepted in front of Amas Toll Plaza, Gaya and seized at Amas Police Station, said the statement.
The conviction serves as a deterrent to those involved in the illicit drug trade and demonstrates the NCB's unwavering resolve in tackling narcotics-related crimes, said the statement.
In a separate case, NCB seized Mephedrone (MD) manufacturing laboratory equipment in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur, which was intended to manufacture around 200 kg of MD for distribution in the illicit drug market, said an official statement.
The action was taken on January 29 under Operation Prayogshala in close coordination with Jodhpur Gramin Police, the official said in a statement, adding that three prime suspects in the case are on the run.
During the operation, NCB Jodhpur seized various laboratory and industrial equipment, including borosilicate jars, borosilicate glass tubes, an electric induction motor, an industrial electromagnetic stirrer, and other related items used for the manufacture of synthetic drugs, said the statement.
Earlier, on January 25, NCB Jodhpur seized 1.089 kg of Mephedrone in Jodhpur. Acting on specific intelligence, the NCB team intercepted two individuals riding a motorcycle and carrying a black bag containing contraband, leading to the arrest of two more accused.
--IANS
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