Barabanki Drug Case: Two Traffickers Get 10 Years in Jail
A Barabanki court has sentenced two traffickers to 10 years in jail for smuggling heroin and ganja from Nagaland in 2017.
In a significant blow to narcotics smuggling, a court in Barabanki has sentenced two individuals to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with a Barabanki drug seizure case dating back to 2017. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) confirmed the conviction on Wednesday, noting that the verdict was delivered by the Additional District and Sessions Judge on Monday, October 19.
The 2017 Railway Station Bust
The case traces back to May 27, 2017, when the Lucknow Zonal Unit of the NCB conducted a targeted operation at the Barabanki Railway Station. During the operation, officials intercepted two passengers who were disembarking from the Avadh Assam Express.
Upon searching the suspects, the NCB recovered black bags containing a dangerous haul of contraband, including:
- 340 grams of heroin
- 160 grams of ganja
The convicted individuals have been identified as Shakeel and Rampyari, both of whom are residents of the Barabanki district in Uttar Pradesh.
From Nagaland to Uttar Pradesh
As the investigation unfolded, the NCB uncovered a long-distance trafficking route. The evidence revealed that the narcotics had been transported all the way from Dimapur in Nagaland before arriving at the destination in Barabanki.
During the trial, the prosecution pushed for the strictest possible penalties, emphasizing the devastating impact that drug trafficking has on the fabric of society and the health of the youth.
The court, after a thorough examination of the evidence presented by the NCB, found both Shakeel and Rampyari guilty and handed down the sentence of 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.
A Pattern of Crackdowns
This conviction follows a series of successful operations by the NCB across different regions. In a separate instance on September 12, the Patna Zonal Unit of the NCB secured convictions for two other traffickers in Bihar.
In that case, Pramod Prasad and Bikesh Kumar Gupta (also known as Bikash Kumar Gupta) were found guilty in connection with the seizure of 5.250 kg of opium. Both were sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and were further slapped with a fine of Rs 1 lakh each.