The Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau (HSNCB) on Saturday confiscated 40.15 quintals of powdered poppy seeds valued at approximately Rs 3 crore from a truck on KMP highway in Palwal. Two persons have been apprehended in connection with the seizure.

An official spokesperson said that acting on a tip-off, a team from the HSNCB intercepted the truck at KMP toll plaza in Palwal. A thorough search revealed the banned substance in the truck, leading to the arrest of two individuals, both residents of Rajasthan.

The Director General of Police (DGP), Shatrujeet Kapur, praised HSNCB’s actions and expressed the commitment to continued actions against drug traffickers.

The spokesperson said Haryana Police has registered 3269 cases under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act up until September this year. In connection with these cases, a total of 4456 drug smugglers have been arrested.

The police have also seized 28.3 kilogram (kg) of heroin, 185 kg of hashish, 6689 kg of ganja, 330 kg of opium, 11,155 kg of poppy seeds, and 112 grams of cocaine during this period. Additionally, the police have confiscated 3,16,684 banned tablets and 69,709 capsules.

The spokesperson said that based on confidential information, HSNCB Director, Additional DGP, OP Singh directed DSP Satendra Singh of Rohtak, HSNCB and Inspector Pawan Kumar, in-charge of Rohtak Unit, to intercept a truck traveling from Chatra in Jharkhand to Jodhpur in Rajasthan.

“The Haryana NCB team acted promptly, intercepting the suspicious truck at KMP toll plaza in Palwal. During the search, the team discovered 40.15 quintals of powdered poppy, a prohibited substance under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, with an estimated street value of approximately Rs 3 crore. A duty magistrate was summoned to oversee the search and weighing procedures at the scene,” the spokesperson said.

An FIR has been filed at Sadar Palwal police station, and the two individuals traveling in the seized truck have been apprehended. Their arrest is expected to yield more information about the drug trafficking network and its operations, the spokesperson said.

The DGP has urged the public to report any drug sales they encounter by calling the HSNCB’s toll-free number at 90508-91508. The identity of the informant will be kept strictly confidential, he said.