New Delhi [India], September 9 (ANI): The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized around 740 kg of cannabis and charas across the country as it intensified its crackdown on illegal cannabis trafficking, leading to the arrest of 13 persons under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the agency conducted eight major operations over the past fortnight, intercepting illicit consignments transported across road, rail, and air corridors. The total haul comprised 709.6 kg of regular cannabis, 24.5 kg of high-grade hydroponic cannabis, and 5 kg of charas.

In the latest operation on September 8, enforcement officers intercepted two trucks arriving from Vishakhapatnam at Old Dhamtari Road near Raipur. A vehicle search uncovered 61 packets of cannabis concealed inside 10 sacks in the cargo hold. Officials confiscated 375.95 kg of the narcotic substance along with both vehicles, arresting four individuals at the scene.

The Raipur corridor witnessed earlier enforcement action on August 26, when authorities impounded a truck and confiscated approximately 124 kg of concealed cannabis, arresting one suspect.

Interceptions on highway networks also encountered resistance. During an operation between September 5 and September 6, agency personnel chased and stopped a truck along the Aurangabad-Patna Highway near Patna. The occupants attacked the intercepting team, injuring one officer, while the driver escaped. A subsequent vehicle search revealed a concealed cavity situated directly behind the driver's cabin.

'A search of the vehicle led to the detection of a secret cavity behind the driver's cabin, from which 90 packets containing ganja were recovered,' the Ministry stated, confirming the seizure of 140.5 kg of the drug and the impounding of the transport vehicle.

Transit checks extended into northern rail and road networks earlier in the month. Officers rummaged through a car stopped near Ludhiana in Punjab between September 1 and September 2, discovering 67 packets containing around 69 kg of cannabis hidden inside floor cavities, leading to two arrests.

On September 3, officials at Gorakhpur Railway Station screened three passengers aboard the general compartment of the Amarnath Express. A physical search yielded 5 kg of charas. Two passengers concealed the substance within knee-cap coverings bound to their thighs beneath their sarees, with initial investigations tracing the contraband back to Nepal.

Aviation routes also formed a key conduit in the trafficking chain. Over the last 15 days, officers mounted three separate airport operations across Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Teams intercepted three passengers arriving from international sectors, specifically Hanoi, Vietnam, and Bangkok, Thailand, confiscating 24.6 kg of high-potency cannabis and arresting all three couriers.

The Ministry stated that the sustained interdictions reflect the agency's operational focus on curbing narcotics distribution networks exploiting road, rail, and air transit infrastructure nationwide. (ANI)