Uttarakhand STF seizes 4.34 quintals of cannabis in Udham Singh Nagar, smuggler arrested

The Uttarakhand Police special task force (STF), along with the Udham Singh Nagar police, arrested a drug smuggler and seized 4.34 quintals of cannabis from a canter truck which entered the state from Jharkhand on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.

The value of the confiscated cannabis in the illegal market is said to be around ₹ 1.08 crore, making it one of the biggest drug busts in the state.

In 2025, the police have so far registered seven FIRs regarding recovery of drugs, arrested 11 accused and seized 0.695 kg of smack, 6.723 kg of cannabis resin, 4.34 quintals of cannabis.

In 2024, the police registered 35 FIRs, arrested 62 accused, and recovered 7.525 kg of smack, 24.458 kg of cannabis resin, 5.322 kg of opium, 300 kg poppy husk, 77.350 kg of cannabis, 1600 drug-filled injections, and 7 grams of MDMA (methylenedioxy-methylamphetamine).

“The Kumaon unit of the STF, in coordination with the Udham Singh Nagar police, has recovered 4.34 quintals of cannabis from a canter truck in Pulbhatta police station area. The drugs were concealed in specially created compartments within the vehicle. This is the largest cannabis seizure in Uttarakhand to date,” senior superintendent of police (STF) Navneet Singh Bhullar said.

He further said, “We also arrested an accused Raju Ali, an interstate drug smuggler and a native of Lakhimpur Kheri in UP, who was transporting the narcotic substance from Jharkhand to Uttarakhand. The consignment was intended for distribution in areas such as Rudrapur, Gadarpur, and Bajpur in the Udham Singh Nagar district.”

“He (accused) revealed that he works as a driver and regularly transports goods from Uttarakhand to states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha. On his return journeys, he sometimes carries illegal substances. On this particular trip, he had transported air conditioners from a plywood factory in Rudrapur to Jharkhand. While returning, he brought back the drug consignment from Jharkhand on the instructions of one Suresh Gupta with the intent to sell it at a high profit in Udham Singh Nagar,” Bhullar said.

“We are making all effort to arrest Gupta,” the SSP said, adding, “Our interrogation has also led to the identification of several other drug peddlers, against whom action will be taken.”

The Uttarakhand Police on January 1 said it is focused on making the state drug free by the end of this year as part of the ‘Drug-Free Devbhoomi’ mission.

“We are on the right track to make Uttarakhand drug free by the end of this year. We have initiated a month-long campaign against sale and use of drugs. We are focusing on two areas, first enforcement, by striking down at the supply chain and people who deal in commercial quantities, and second, we are running awareness campaigns at the district level in schools and colleges,” additional director general of police, law and order, V Murugesan said.

The Uttarakhand police had in August 2022 constituted a three-tier anti-narcotics task force (ANTF) to battle the drug menace in the hill state on chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s orders.