The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has intercepted a commercial truck transporting 591.3 kilograms of ganja valued at approximately ₹3 crore in the international market, halting an interstate narcotics shipment originating from Nepal and bound for Bihar. The operation was executed by the agency’s Gorakhpur unit following specific inputs from central intelligence, leading to the recovery of 81 tightly packed bundles concealed within specially modified cavities inside the vehicle. Both the consignment and the truck have been seized under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, as investigators widen their inquiry to dismantle the syndicate orchestrating the transit route.
Surveillance Along Nepal Border and Multi-City Coordination
The operation commenced after the DRI headquarters in Delhi received actionable intelligence indicating that a major narcotics consignment had crossed into Indian territory from Nepal through the Sonauli border crossing. According to official details, the illicit cargo was slated to transit through Gorakhpur before reaching distribution channels in Bihar. Upon being alerted by the central headquarters, the Lucknow zonal unit mobilized the Gorakhpur operational team to establish tight surveillance on vehicular movement along the vulnerable frontier corridor.
To prevent the truck from slipping across state borders, the agency established an inter-unit tracking network linking operational teams across Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, and Patna. Officers shared continuous field updates to monitor arterial routes and track the suspected transport vehicle before it could penetrate deeper into eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Toll Gate Data and Highway Interception
Investigators tracked the truck’s passage across key transit corridors for over four hours, analyzing real-time feeds from highway CCTV cameras and logs gathered from automated toll plazas. The surveillance data enabled officers to narrow down the vehicle’s trajectory along the Gorakhpur-Kushinagar stretch.
Field units intensified highway patrolling and spotted the suspicious vehicle parked beside a four-lane highway on Sunday morning. A preliminary exterior check confirmed the registration parameters, prompting officers to conduct a thorough search of the vehicle structure on the spot.
Narcotics Recovered from Modified Cavities
A detailed physical examination revealed that the truck had undergone structural modifications designed to evade routine roadside inspections. Officers uncovered two fabricated chambers: one built into the space above the engine bonnet, and another integrated directly behind the driver’s cabin seat. From these two concealed enclosures, the search party extracted 81 tape-wrapped packets containing the contraband.
A field narcotics detection kit was deployed at the location, confirming the seized plant material as ganja. The aggregate haul weighed 591.3 kilograms. Officers impounded the vehicle alongside the narcotics to prepare formal proceedings under the NDPS Act.
The agency is now focusing on identifying the logistical handlers who fitted the truck with hidden compartments, the individuals responsible for moving the shipment past border checkpoints, and the intended receivers based in Bihar. No formal arrests were confirmed at the time of reporting.
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