DHANKUTA, JULY 3
Police in Dhankuta have seized a large quantity of narcotics and arrested seven people in a series of anti-drug operations carried out over the past week, highlighting intensified efforts to curb drug trafficking along the district's transit routes.
In the latest operation on Thursday, police recovered 37.61 kg of marijuana from an electric vehicle during a routine security check at Bhedetar Chowk in Sangurigadhi Rural Municipality-6.
The vehicle, bearing registration number Province 1-02-001 Cha 4531, was travelling from Bhojpur to Dharan when it was stopped for inspection. Police arrested Lok Bahadur Rai, 45, of Sangurigadhi Rural Municipality-9, Dhankuta, and Binita Karki, 31, of Salpasilichho Rural Municipality-2, Bhojpur, in connection with the seizure.
Both suspects have been remanded into custody following an extension of judicial custody granted by the Dhankuta District Court, and further investigation is underway, police said.
In a separate operation on Wednesday, police arrested Anil Ghising, 29, of Dharmadevi Municipality-1, Sankhuwasabha, after recovering six packets of a substance suspected to be brown heroin during a security check at Buddha Chowk in Dhankuta Municipality-1.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Hemanta Bhandari Chhetri, the suspected narcotics weighed 380 milligrams including the plastic packaging and 250 milligrams excluding the packaging. Ghising is also being investigated under the Narcotic Drugs Control Act after the district court approved his remand.
The latest seizures come just three days after police confiscated 795 kg of marijuana, along with a mini-truck and a motorcycle, and arrested two suspects in a separate operation. On the same day, another two individuals were detained in Shahidbhumi Rural Municipality with more than 7,000 tablets suspected to be used as narcotic substances.
District Police Office, Dhankuta, said investigations into all the cases are ongoing.
