Ranchi, May 12 (IANS) Ranchi Police on Tuesday said it have busted a drug trafficking network operating in the Khet Mohalla-Bacha Kabristan area under the Hindpiri police station limits of the city.

The police arrested six people, including a woman involved in the crime. Narcotic substances and over Rs 8.8 lakh in cash were seized during the operation.

Acting on a tip-off about large-scale trading of banned drugs in the Hindpiri area through local agents, the Senior Superintendent of Police constituted a special raiding team under Assistant Superintendent of Police (Kotwali) Nikhil Rai.

Officers from Hindpiri, Kotwali, Daily Market, Lower Bazaar and the Women’s Police Station were a part of the team.

When the police team reached the Bacha Kabristan area, the suspects attempted to flee through narrow lanes. However, police personnel swiftly cordoned off the area and managed to chase down and apprehend five youths.

The arrested men were identified as Sahil alias Charka, Mohammad Ejaz alias Babu, Awadhesh Yadav, Anil Kumar Mahto and Sarvar Ansari. During searches, police recovered brown sugar, ganja and mobile phones from their possession.

Following sustained interrogation and on the basis of their disclosures, the police conducted a raid at a house located near Nadi Ground belonging to Shehnaz Khatoon.

During the search, Rs 8,74,200 in cash was recovered from her residence. In addition, two cartons of narcotic injections, four strips of banned tablets, ganja and an electronic weighing machine used for drugs were seized.

Shehnaz Khatoon was also arrested on the spot.

In total, police seized Rs 8,81,242 in cash, more than 6.8 grams of brown sugar, around 310 grams of ganja and a large quantity of other narcotic medicines during the operation.

The arrested accused hail from various parts of Ranchi, including Hindpiri, Karbala Chowk, Kadru and New Madhukam.

Police are now investigating the wider network and trying to ascertain further links of the drug syndicate.

All six accused were produced before a court and sent to judicial custody on Tuesday.

–IANS

snc/skp/