Over 200kg opium, poppy husk seized in Chittorgarh, 2 held

JAIPUR: The state police arrested two persons and seized more than 200 kg illicit opium and poppy husk from their possession in Chittorgarh district on Monday.

Additional director general of police (ADGP), crime, BL Soni said that opium cultivation is done in Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh and Pratapgarh districts, which are located on the borders of Madhya Pradesh.

“The crime branch was collecting info on smuggling on opium and its byproducts. Acting on a tip-off, a team of crime branch was rushed from headquarters to Chittorgarh on Sunday,” he said.

The crime branch team, with the help of local police, raided a warehouse located in Bhanuja police station area of Chittorgarh district. “The team arrested two persons, Prakash Janva (50) and his son Ramnarayan Janva (25), after 2.1 quintal (210 kg) opium and poppy husk was recovered from their possession. Both of t hem were arrested under relevant sections of NDPS Act,” the ADGP added.

In India, opium poppy cultivation is prohibited under Section 8 of the NDPS Act, 1985, except under a licence issued by the Central Bureau of Narcotics under Rule 8 of the NDPS Rules, 1 9 8 5 . An o p i u m f a r mer is al l owed t o do f ar ming i n a restricted licensed area only and there is a limit of production too.

“It is the duty of narcotics officer to take action against the farmer if he is growing extra opium in his land. But these two persons grew opium in extra quantity and in connivance with the narcotics official they destroyed t he extra grown opium in papers only,” Soni said, adding that further investigation is on.

On January 26, a senior IRS officer, the then deputy commissioner of Central Bureau of Narc o t i c s ( CBN) i n Kota, was arrested by ACB. The officer during his two-and-a-half-year tenure in Kota allegedly took money from opium growers in the name of transfer of licences.

On March 4, three persons including a superintendent of police of narcotics, a sub-inspector and head constable were arrested under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Central Bureau of Narcotics officers used to get a share of up to 50 per cent in profits from opium sold illegally to peddlers across the country.

On September 26, in a joint operation by ACB teams of Chittorgarh and Jaipur arrested an SHO and a middleman for trying to bribe an MLA.