Rajasthan Police seize 469 kg opium pods from drug smugglers

Pali police chief Kaluram Rawat said two SUVs without number plates broke the checkpoint on the outskirts of Danvarli area in the district at around 1:50 am, and fired 8-10 rounds at the police team while fleeing

Rajasthan Police seized over 486 kilogram of opium pods from drug smugglers, who fled leaving the narcotics behind after firing at the police party that intercepted them at a checkpoint in Pali district late Monday night.

Sacks full of opium pods were found in the SUV abandoned by suspected drug smugglers in Rajasthan’s Pali district. (Photo Source- Rajasthan Police)

The incident took place on the intervening night of August 23 and 24, when opium smugglers travelling in two SUVs were signalled to stop at a police check post. The smugglers responded by firing at the cops, resulting in the police giving them a chase. The drug smugglers abandoned one of the vehicles loaded with opium pods following a tyre burst before giving police the slip.

Over 468 kg of poppy seeds and empty cartridges were found in the abandoned SUV. Opium is obtained as the dried milky juice of the seed pods of the opium poppy

Pali police chief Kaluram Rawat said two SUVs without number plates broke the checkpoint on the outskirts of Danvarli area in the district at around 1:50 am, and fired 8-10 rounds on the police team while fleeing. In response, the police team, too, fired 14 rounds.

He said one of the tyres of a SUV burst in police firing, forcing the smugglers to abandon it before they escaped.