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Ludhiana: International drug racket busted, DRI arrests 2, seizes over 4kg opium
Officials said the narcotics were meant for shipment to foreign destinations, including the United States and Canada
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Ludhiana Zonal Unit, on has busted an international drug smuggling racket operating through courier channels and arrested two persons under the NDPS Act after seizing over 4.3kg of opium concealed inside food packets and household items.
Officials said the narcotics were meant for shipment to foreign destinations, including the United States and Canada. In coordination with international authorities, three additional consignments carrying nearly 3kg of narcotic substances were intercepted in France while en route abroad.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, DRI officials raided residential premises in the city allegedly being used for concealing and packing narcotic substances for export through courier services.
During the search, officials recovered 11 packets containing 1.64 kg of opium, valued at around ₹8.20 lakh in the illicit market. The contraband had allegedly been concealed inside noodle packets, syrup bottles and other household articles.
In a follow-up operation, DRI teams searched the premises of a courier service provider in Ludhiana and intercepted a parcel booked for overseas dispatch. Examination of the consignment led to the recovery of another 14 packets containing 2.698 kg of opium worth nearly ₹13.49 lakh.
Officials said the narcotics had been hidden inside cardboard layers, kitchen utensils and food packets to evade detection during transit.
Overall, the DRI seized 25 packets containing 4.338 kg of opium with an estimated illicit market value of ₹21.69 lakh under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985.
The agency said the seizure has exposed the growing misuse of courier channels for cross-border drug trafficking through concealment techniques involving everyday household and food items.
