Injectable drugs hauled‚ four arrested

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Drugs smugglers have employed new modus operandi to hoodwink law enforcement agency to smuggle drugs in the Kathmandu Valley.

Police today arrested four persons leading to seizure of 9,800 ampules of diazepam and buprenorphine hidden in rice consignment from a truck in Naagdhunga.

The truck (Na 3 Kha 5684), ferrying the injectable drugs, was held during a routine check at the main transit of the Capital city around 8 am today, Kathmandu police spokesperson, DSP Dhiraj Pratap Singh, informed.

The arrestees are truck driver, Lalmani Mahara (31), his helper Prakash Mahara (18) of Parsa, Chhoisang Tamang (27) and Saraswoti Shahi (27) of Kavre.

According to investigation report, the smugglers had used a new modus operandi to outwit police.

An investigation is underway to crack the drug nexus, DSP Singh said.

The truck, carrying a huge cache of contraband inside the rice sacks, was on its way to an undisclosed location in the Capital city from Birgunj.

According to anti-drug officials, diazepam and buprenorphine were the most consumed drugs in the cities as they are relatively cheaper than hardcore drugs — hashish and heroin.

“Mostly youngsters are into pharmaceutical drugs,” an official warned.

Police have expressed concern about the growing abuse of pharmaceutical drugs among teenagers and called on parents to keep tabs on their children.

According to investigators, cash-strapped addicts were more likely to commit crimes to pay for drugs.

Pharmaceutical drugs are smuggled into the Valley and other major cities from Raxaul. Nepali drug traffickers are found to be working in close coordination with Indian dealers to serve their financial interest.

Last month, Narcotic Drug Control Law Enforcement Unit arrested four drug smugglers with 10,400 ampules of injectable drugs in Kalanki, also from the truck bound from Birgunj to Kathmandu.

During interrogation, it was learnt that the consignment belonged to Pawan Sah and Ashraf Singh of Bihar.