Three men from Barabanki have been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment each for their roles in an alprazolam trafficking case involving the seizure of 500 grams of the psychotropic substance in Lucknow in November 2022, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) said on Thursday.
The court of the additional district and sessions judge, Lucknow, also imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on each convict on Thursday, according to an NCB press release.
The convicts were identified as Mohd Raj, Mohammad Shafeek and Jangli alias Haseen, all residents of Barabanki district.
Acting on specific intelligence, the NCB’s Lucknow zonal unit had seized the contraband near Bhaisa Kund in the Baikunth Dham area on November 16, 2022. Raj was allegedly carrying the substance in a bag on his back.
The investigation established that the consignment had originated in Mathura and was intended for transportation to Barabanki, the agency said. Shafeek was identified as the intended receiver, while Haseen was allegedly involved as a co-receiver.
The prosecution sought stringent punishment, citing the commercial quantity involved and the wider social impact of drug trafficking. The court found that the substance was possessed for sale and that the quantity fell within the commercial category, the NCB said.