Two Drug Traffickers Sentenced To 11 Years Each In 500-Kg Poppy Husk Seizure Case

New Delhi: The law has once again tightened its grip on the illegal drug trade. Two drug traffickers who attempted to transport 500 kg of poppy husk from Jammu and Kashmir to Punjab in 2019 have been sentenced by a court to 11 years of rigorous imprisonment each. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on each of them.

Following an effective investigation and prosecution by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Chandigarh, the Special NDPS Court in Hoshiarpur delivered the verdict on September 28, 2026. The convicts have been identified as Muzaffar Ahmed Mir, a resident of Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir, and Charanjit Singh Cheema, a resident of Hoshiarpur, Punjab.

The case dates back to June 26, 2019. A team of the NCB Chandigarh intercepted a truck near Mukerian in Hoshiarpur and conducted a search. Around 500 kg of poppy husk was recovered from 20 sacks concealed beneath scrap material inside the truck. The truck bore registration number JK-13-B-7759.

A third accused, Riyaz Ahmed Sheikh, was also arrested in connection with the case. However, he absconded after being released on bail. In December 2025, the court declared him a proclaimed offender. Efforts to apprehend him are ongoing.

The NCB said the action reflects its commitment to combating drug trafficking. It has appealed to the public to report information related to drug trafficking through the MANAS helpline at 1933. The identity of the informant will be kept confidential.

Reported by-Pankaj Rai