Rohtas district police in Bihar seized nearly 500 kilograms of cannabis concealed beneath a consignment of jackfruits in a pickup van on Thursday, busting what authorities describe as an interstate smuggling network routing narcotics from Odisha through Jharkhand into Bihar. The recovered contraband is estimated to be worth approximately ₹2.5 crore in the international market.

How the Operation Unfolded

The seizure was triggered by confidential intelligence about a white pickup vehicle transporting a large cannabis consignment from Odisha toward Dehri. Acting on the tip-off, a special police team was constituted under Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Atulesh Jha and deployed on the GT Road near Pali Morh, under the jurisdiction of Dehri Nagar Police Station.

During the vehicle-checking drive, officers intercepted a suspicious pickup van loaded with jackfruits and covered with a tarpaulin — an apparent attempt to mask the contraband from routine inspection. A detailed search revealed approximately 500 kg of cannabis packed beneath the fruit cargo.

Arrest and Interrogation

The driver, identified as Satyendra Kumar, was arrested on the spot. During interrogation, he reportedly disclosed the names of several individuals allegedly linked to the smuggling network. According to police sources, Kumar told investigators that the cannabis was being transported from Odisha to Mohania via routes passing through Jharkhand and Aurangabad.

An FIR has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Dehri Nagar Police Station.

Interstate Network Under the Scanner

Authorities are now working to map the full supply chain. Police are coordinating with Kaimur district police to identify and apprehend smugglers reportedly operating out of Mohania. This comes amid a broader pattern of cannabis trafficking through Bihar's highway corridors, where agricultural produce has repeatedly been used as cover for narcotics movement.

Notably, the Odisha-Jharkhand-Bihar corridor has been flagged in past enforcement reports as a transit route for cannabis originating in forested tribal belts of eastern India.

What Authorities Said

ASP Atulesh Jha confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and that additional arrests and legal proceedings will follow based on evidence gathered during the probe. Officials stated that the smugglers had deliberately used the fruit consignment to avoid detection at inter-state checkpoints.

With multiple names now surfacing from Kumar's disclosures, investigators are expected to widen the net in the coming days.