28-year-old man held with 3kg cannabis worth ₹1.5 cr

The duo were allegedly working as mediators to sell cannabis to people who further sold it to customers

A 28-year-old man was arrested with 3 kg of cannabis, worth around ₹1.5 crore, from Noida’s Sector 59 metro station late Monday night, police said on Tuesday, adding that efforts are also on to nab his accomplice.

The case is being investigated from a wider angle, and more arrests could be possible in the coming days, said police. A case under sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered against him at the Sector 58 police station. (HT Archive)

The arrest came after Noida police received a tip-off about the duo being involved in smuggling premium-quality cannabis in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). A police officer impersonating a customer approached them and laid a trap.

Police identified the suspect as Shubham Kumar, originally from Meerut, but residing at shared accommodation with a friend in Noida Sector 4. That friend, identified as Vaibhav, was his accomplice and is currently absconding.

Kumar, who possesses a BCA degree, was also involved in stock trading.

“Late Monday night, we arrested Kumar with 3 kg of premium-quality cannabis worth ₹1.5 crore from Sector 59 metro station in Noida. His friend Vaibhav managed to escape. During investigation, the suspect revealed that he and his friend used to bring cannabis from Manali and other hill areas and would sell it in Delhi-NCR at high prices,” said additional DCP (Noida) Sumit Shukla.

Explaining their modus operandi, an officer who is part of the investigation, requesting anonymity, said, “They were allegedly working as mediators to sell cannabis to people who further sold it to customers. When interrogated, Kumar did not reveal much information, saying he got involved in smuggling only a few days ago, and his friend Vaibhav could reveal full detail.”

“We have informed the Narcotics Department, and efforts are underway to locate his friend whose mobile phone has been seized,” said the officer.

The case is being investigated from a wider angle, and more arrests could be possible in the coming days, said police. A case under sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered against him at the Sector 58 police station.