Raipur Police Bust Interstate Drug Racket, Arrest Couple and Minor with ₹8 Lakh Worth of Ganja
Raipur: In a major crackdown under the state government’s drug-free Chhattisgarh campaign, Raipur Police on Wednesday busted an interstate drug smuggling racket and arrested a couple along with a minor girl in the Tikrapara area. Police seized 15.431 kg of illegal cannabis (ganja) worth approximately ₹8 lakh from their possession.
According to police, the accused used the minor girl as part of a fake family setup to avoid suspicion during checking and gain public sympathy while transporting the contraband. The trio was intercepted near the Neelkantheshwar Temple close to the Bhathagaon Bus Stand.
Acting on the instructions of Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Sandeep Kumar Patel to intensify action against narcotics, a special team led by Tikrapara Police Station In-charge Inspector Rajesh Kumar Marai and Assistant Sub-Inspector Shivshankar Tiwari launched the operation following a tip-off.
During the search, police recovered the ganja packed in khaki tape and concealed inside a red backpack.
The arrested accused have been identified as Hans Raj (38) and his wife Sonia Gujjar alias Sonu (27). The couple hails from Palwal district of Haryana but was reportedly operating from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
The identity of the minor girl has been withheld as per legal provisions. She has been taken into custody under the Juvenile Justice Act.
Tikrapara Police registered a case under Section 20(B) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The local court remanded the couple to judicial custody, while the minor was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board.
Speaking on the action, DCP Sandeep Kumar Patel said that making Raipur drug-free remains a top priority. He warned that those using minors as shields for criminal activities would face strict legal action and urged citizens to share information about illegal drug trafficking, assuring complete confidentiality.
