Neemuch, Nov 5 — The Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) has seized around 413 kg of illicit poppy straw (doda chura) from a Jammu and Kashmir-registered refrigerated goods vehicle in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch district and arrested one person, an official said on Thursday.
The accused has been identified as Gulam Hasan, a resident of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir, Assistant Narcotics Commissioner Kshit Takshak told IANS.
The seizure was made following specific intelligence about a Tata 407 reefer van suspected to be carrying four to five quintals of poppy straw concealed inside it.
"CBN officers received secret information this morning that a Jammu and Kashmir-registered Tata 407 reefer van, used for transporting chilled and refrigerated goods, would be carrying four to five quintals of doda chura concealed inside it," Takshak said.
"Acting on the information, a team of CBN officers intercepted the vehicle and recovered around 4.13 quintals of poppy straw during a search," he added.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle was registered in Jammu and Kashmir and the arrested person belonged to Baramulla district.
"The investigation is underway to establish the source of the seized contraband and its intended destination, and to identify others involved in the trafficking network," the officer also said.
The vehicle and the seized contraband were taken into custody, while the accused was arrested under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The latest seizure comes amid a series of anti-narcotics operations by the CBN's Madhya Pradesh Unit.
Earlier in October 27, CBN officers had intercepted a Rajasthan-registered container truck on the Mumbai-Delhi Expressway near Sitamau and recovered 2,308 kg of poppy straw concealed beneath 598 sacks of chana husk being transported as cover cargo.