Chatra: Sadar police have busted an inter-state opium smuggling racket by arresting four peddlers including two from Punjab, it said on Tuesday. Acting on a tip-off received by Chatra SP Animesh Nathani, a special team led by SDPO Sandeep Suman conducted a raid during which police recovered 1.3 kg opium, along with a car, four phones and Rs 5,000 in cash. The seized opium is estimated around Rs 7 lakh.Suman said, “The accused have been identified as Santosh Kumar Dangi and Rupesh Kumar Yadav, both residents of Chatra, and Harendra Singh and Davindarpal Singh, residents of Jalandhar and Shahkot in Punjab.” According to Suman, the gang was attempting to transport a large consignment of opium through the Tikar-Jitni road under Sadar police station limits. “A special team was formed to launch intensive vehicle checking drive, during which the car was intercepted and searched, leading to the recovery,” he said.The SDPO said the accused had procured the opium from Lawalong area in Chatra and were planning to transport it to Punjab, indicating an inter-state network stretching from Jharkhand to Punjab.
