Sonbhadra Police and ANTF Lucknow Unit got big success, interstate ganja smuggling gang busted

Rajesh Tiwari (Bureau Report)

Sonbhadra / Uttar Pradesh –

Under the direction of Superintendent of Police Abhishek Verma, in the ongoing campaign against crime, criminals and smuggling of illegal drugs and illicit liquor, under the supervision of Additional Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Anil Kumar and under the able direction of Area Officer City Randhir Mishra and under the able leadership of Inspector-in-charge Robertsganj, Police Station Robertsganj and ANTF Lucknow Unit* have achieved significant success.

The joint team has busted a large network of inter-state ganja smuggling and arrested 06 accused. On the night of 21/22.06.2026, ANTF Lucknow Unit received information from an informer that a huge quantity of illegal ganja from Orissa is being brought to Uttar Pradesh through DCM vehicle and police recce is being conducted by the smugglers in another four-wheeler.

On information, a joint team of ANTF Lucknow Unit and Robertsganj police station outpost Sukrit police surrounded Chahelwa Baiju Baba temple, stopped a Ciaz car and a DCM vehicle and conducted investigation. After inquiry and legal proceedings, the DCM vehicle was searched, in which a total of 08 quintals and 684 grams of illegal ganja* kept hidden among the sacks of herbs, whose estimated value was approximately Rs 80 lakh 60 thousand*, was recovered. Six accused were arrested from the spot.

On the basis of recovery and arrest, FIR No. 525/2026, Section 8/20/29/60 NDPS Act was registered at Robertsganj police station and the accused were arrested. 08 quintals of 684 grams of illegal ganja, one DCM vehicle, one Ciaz car, 06 Android mobile phones, 02 iPhones and ₹ 6,040/- in cash were recovered and further legal action is being taken by the police. Also, information is being obtained regarding other persons and networks associated with the smuggling gang.

The arrested accused told during interrogation that they are members of an organized interstate ganja smuggling gang and have been purchasing illegal ganja from Orissa for a long time and supplying it to Sultanpur and its surrounding districts. Accused Ankit Singh and Rohit Kumar Singh operated this smuggling network, while Sohit Singh, Devendra Singh, Suraj Kumar and Siddharth Singh helped in transportation, monitoring and supply work. The accused said that the present consignment of recovered ganja was purchased from Balangir area of ​​Orissa for about Rs 20 lakh.

The ganja was kept hidden among the sacks of herbs loaded in the DCM vehicle, so that there would be no suspicion during checking and if necessary, the police and other investigating agencies could be misled by presenting valid documents of the herb. During smuggling, recce of police activities and checking was also being done by moving back and forth through a Ciaz car. During interrogation, the accused also told that the recovered consignment of ganja was to be delivered to Atul Singh, resident of Sitapur.

He knew the person providing ganja in Orissa by the name Dada, with whom he had contact through WhatsApp. The gang members kept changing mobile numbers and SIM cards continuously to hide their identity and avoid arrest. Key leader Rohit Singh said that the consignment of ganja was transported to Agra via Agra-Lucknow Expressway in a Ciaz car, where it was supplied to the persons named by Atul Singh, resident of Sitapur.

On the basis of important information received from the accused, necessary legal action is being taken to identify and arrest other persons associated with the gang. Details of the arrested accused are respectively: Ankit Singh son of Ramprakash Singh, aged about 30 years, resident of village Terye, police station Lambhua, district Sultanpur. Rohit Kumar Singh son of late Ramprakash Singh, aged about 35 years, resident of village Terye, police station Lambhua, district Sultanpur, Sohit Singh son of Vijay

Bahadur Singh, aged about 23 years, resident of Barua Sakarwari, police station Dostpur, district Sultanpur, Devendra Singh son of late Srinath Singh, aged about 40 years, resident of Mirpur Saraiya, police station Motigarpur, district Sultanpur, Suraj Kumar son of late Roshan Lal, aged about 28 years, resident of village Bhimi, police station Amethi, district Amethi, Siddharth Singh son of Awadhesh Singh, aged about 23 years, Resident of village Jasapara, police station Gosaiganj, district Sultanpur.

08 quintals 684 grams of illegal ganja (estimated value around Rs 80 lakh 60 thousand), one DCM vehicle number UP44CT7780, one Ciaz car number UP14CS3044, 06 Android mobile phones, 02 iPhones, ₹ 6,040/- cash were recovered from the accused. (The total estimated value of the above recovery is approximately Rs 1 crore 16 lakh)

Various cases are registered against accused Suraj Kumar in Jhansi, Pratapgarh, Sultanpur Amethi districts. Several criminal cases including theft under the Indian Electricity Act are registered against the accused Rohit Kumar Singh in Lambhua police station, Sultanpur district.

The police team that arrested/unveiled included Inspector-in-charge Ramswaroop Verma, Police Station Robertsganj, UT Purushottam Vishwakarma, ANTF Lucknow, UT Dinesh Kumar Singh, ANTF Lucknow, UT Sangam Patel, ANTF Lucknow, UT Khalid Khan, ANTF Lucknow, UT Rajesh Kumar Yadav, ANTF Lucknow, UT Rajen Kumar, ANTF Lucknow, UT Manvendra Singh, Chowki Incharge Sukrit, Police Station Robertsganj, District Sonbhadra and other police personnel were present. Sonbhadra Police continues to take effective action against crime and criminals.