Joint team of UP police, SSB arrests Nepalese woman with cannabis worth Rs 60 lakh

Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh: A joint team of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Bahraich police in Uttar Pradesh arrested a woman near the India-Nepal border and seized 2.3 kg of 'charas' (cannabis) from her possession, officials said on Friday.

According to officials the contraband is estimated to be worth Rs 60 lakh in the international market.

Deputy Commandant of the 42nd battalion of SSB Dilip Kumar said that based on a tip-off the joint team searched a woman, who is a Nepal national, at the integrated check post at Rupaidiha on Thursday evening.

The woman had hidden the 'charas' in three small bags wrapped around her waist, the officer said.

During interrogation the woman admitted that the consignment of drugs was given to her by a person in Nepal to smuggle it to Tehri Garhwal in Uttarakhand with the aim of earning easy money, he added.

Bahraich Superintendent of Police (SP) Ram Nayan Singh said that the woman has been identified as Manmali Gharti (52), a resident of Rolpa district in Nepal.

The SP also said that a case has been registered against the woman under the Narcotics Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 in Rupaidiha police station and she has been sent to jail.

Acting Commandant of 42nd Battalion of the SSB Raj Ranjan said that in view of illegal movement and increasing smuggling, vigilance has been increased 24 hours on the border.

He said that the soldiers are continuously conducting intensive checking campaigns.

The general public is also expected to cooperate to completely curb illegal smuggling and drug trade and its movement, the officer said.