Drug peddlers using trains to smuggle contraband remained an uphill battle for the Government Railway Police (GRP) which registered a total of 29 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in 2022.
In a sharp increase from the year 2021 which saw the GRP recovering 9.3kg opium from Ludhiana railway station, a total of 28.7kg opium was recovered in different cases in 2022. GRP also recovered 16kg poppy husk, 5.179 charas, 61.2kg ganja, and around 3,900 intoxicating tablets.
GRP officials said as the railway traffic increased following the Covid-induced slump, cases registered under the NDPS Act also rose from 14 in 2021 and 12 in 2020. They added that almost half of the arrested accused hailed from four states: Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Deputy superintendent of police, GRP, Balram Rana said drug peddlers who come from other states find it easy to cross inter-state borders on trains. He said with routine checking and patrolling on the platforms, we have been able to nab miscreants carrying banned substances.
He said we have requested the department to provide additional staff to increase vigil at the railway station, adding that with increased staff and frequent inspections, more drug peddlers can be nabbed.”
{{/usCountry}}He said we have requested the department to provide additional staff to increase vigil at the railway station, adding that with increased staff and frequent inspections, more drug peddlers can be nabbed.”
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