Nepali National Sentenced to 12 Years for 2017 Opium Smuggling in Bahraich

Bahraich, October 7 (Daily Kiran) : The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has taken decisive action against cross-border drug trafficking by convicting a Nepali citizen in a 2017 opium seizure case in Bahraich. A local court in Uttar Pradesh sentenced 31-year-old Sunita Pun, a resident of Sarlahi, Nepal, to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of 100,000 rupees under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985.

The NCB team in Lucknow, acting on specific intelligence, conducted surveillance on May 3, 2017, at the SSB check post in Rupaidiah, Bahraich. During the operation, a Nepali woman attempting to cross the border on foot was intercepted, leading to the recovery of 2.5 kilograms of opium concealed in her thigh. The narcotic was reportedly smuggled from Banke, Nepal, and was destined for Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh.

During the trial, the prosecution emphasized the severity of the crime, the commercial quantity of the seized opium, and its detrimental impact on society, calling for a stringent sentence. After considering the evidence and circumstances of the case, the court concluded that the accused intended to sell the narcotic, categorizing the amount as commercial.

This ruling reinforces the NCB’s zero-tolerance stance on drug trafficking and its commitment to achieving a drug-free India. The NCB has also urged citizens to report any information related to drug trafficking through the Manas-National Narcotics Helpline (toll-free number: 1933), assuring that the identities of informants will remain confidential.