Delhi Police's Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of the South-East District has dismantled an interstate ganja smuggling syndicate, recovering 183 kilograms of contraband valued at approximately ₹1.5 crore in the illicit market. Three members of the network, including the alleged mastermind, were arrested in an operation conducted in the intervening night of 13 and 14 June 2026, under the Centre's Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.

How the Operation Unfolded

The breakthrough came after the AATS received specific intelligence on 13 June indicating that a truck container bearing registration number UP44AT2502 was ferrying a large consignment of ganja from Uttar Pradesh towards Delhi via the Bombay Expressway. The tip was verified by Sub-Inspector Anil Kumar and escalated to Inspector Ajay Dalal, In-Charge of AATS, who in turn briefed ACP Kalkaji V.K.P.S. Yadav.

A special raiding team was deployed near Kalindi Kunj Metro Station. At around 1:50 am on 14 June, the truck was intercepted near the Indian Oil LPG Plant on the Kalindi Kunj–Madanpur Khadar Road.

The Hidden Compartment and the Seizure

A detailed search — conducted in the presence of senior officers and crime team officials — revealed a specially fabricated secret compartment built above the driver's cabin, accessible only through a concealed hatch. Inside, investigators found 38 packets wrapped in brown adhesive tape, all containing ganja. The total seizure stood at 183 kilograms. The truck container itself was also seized.

A case was registered under FIR No. 387/2026 under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Further investigation was assigned to SI Jitender Raghuvanshi of AATS, South-East District.

The Accused and the Network

Two occupants of the truck were detained on the spot: Subodh Kumar Mishra (40), the driver, and Brij Kishore Tiwari (36), his helper — both residents of Bettiah in Bihar's West Champaran district. During interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed that ganja was being procured from suppliers in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and delivered to buyers across Delhi-NCR and nearby regions.

Based on disclosures and technical surveillance, police traced and arrested the alleged kingpin, Shriram, a resident of Makdoompur village in the Sultanpur-Ayodhya region of Uttar Pradesh, from Ayodhya. Shriram is the registered owner of the truck and is accused of coordinating procurement, transportation, and delivery across the interstate network. According to police, he has previously been implicated in three NDPS cases involving commercial quantities of narcotics.

Scope of the Trafficking Network

The syndicate reportedly operated across Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi-NCR. Investigators are now working to identify source suppliers, financiers, and other members of the network. This operation is part of a broader push under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, which has seen intensified anti-narcotics drives across the capital's police districts. Notably, the use of a specially engineered hidden compartment points to a degree of operational sophistication uncommon in smaller trafficking cases.

What Comes Next

Police said the investigation remains active, with focus on tracing the supply chain back to its origin in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Financiers and upstream suppliers linked to the syndicate are yet to be identified and apprehended.