2,223 kgs marijuana recovered from truck in Gurugram, 2 held

Gurugram, Jan 4 (IANS) Two truck drivers were arrested in Gurugram here after the recovery of over 2,223 kgs of marijuana from a truck, police said on Monday.

The accused were identified as Bhupender (34) and Omji (34), both residents of Kannauj district in Uttar Pradesh. They were smuggling marijuana worth crores from Orissa to Uklana in Haryana's Hisar, the police said.

The accused were hiding the contraband inside bags of cottonseed. The duo had also struck a deal with their accomplice of Rs 4 lakh to supply the contraband to Uklana.

380 bags of cottonseed, 70 bags of marijuana (2,233.20 kgs) were recovered from their possession.

"After getting a tip-off, a crime unit of Sector-10 Gurugram conducted a raid near the Panchgaon Chowk on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway and arrested the duo on Sunday at 11.30 pm," ACP (crime), Preet Pal Sangwan said.

During the search, 70 gunny bags containing 2,223.20 kgs of marijuana were found concealed in a middle cavity of the vehicle, the ACP said.

"During questioning the culprits disclosed that they had hidden the contraband in the truck among cottonseed bags so that the police could be misled during checking and they could easily supply the consignment at the designated place. They used to sell marijuana after dividing it into small packets," Sangwan said.

Both the arrested culprits were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Bilaspur police station in Gurugram, the police said.

The accused were produced before a local court on Monday for further legal proceedings.