Over 5,900 kg narcotics seized during last 6 months in various operations

The Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) on Sunday said over 5,900 kgs of different narcotic items have been seized in various operations conducted over the last six months.

The Gwalior-headquartered CBN functions under the Union Finance Ministry and is tasked with managing, regulating and formulating policies for cultivation and trading of poppies, opium and other narcotic drugs.

The other agencies that specifically work against drug trafficking include the central agency -- Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) -- and dedicated units of various state police forces.

In a statement, the CBN said it seized a total of 5,942 kgs of poppy straw, 16.4 kgs of opium, 1.5 kgs of heroin and about 2 kgs of Alprazolam tablets, a pharmaceutical drug used to treat anxiety and panic disorders, over the last six months after operations were conducted in various states.

A total of 25 drugs traffickers were also arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act during this period, it said.

The value of the seized drugs is estimated to be Rs 5 crore, the CBN statement said.