Two suspected drug smugglers held in UP

Lakhimpur Kheri (UP), Jan 19 (PTI) A special team from the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has unearthed a gang of cross-border drug smugglers and nabbed two of them from a private hospital near Saidhari village here, a police official said on Sunday.

Kheri Superintendent of Police Sankalp Sharma said the team also recovered one kg of narcotic drug identified as Mefa Dran (MD) from the two on Saturday.

The price of the recovered drug is estimated to be around Rs 10 crore, he said in a press release.

The arrested people were identified as Rakesh Vishwakarma and Vikram Singh of Kheri district while Dr. Khalid Khan, who is reported to be associated with the private hospital is absconding, police said.

The Kheri SP said a case under sections of the NDPS Act had been lodged with the Kotwali police station and further investigations were underway.

The UP ANTF in its press statement said the accused confessed to smuggling Mefa Dran drug from neighbouring Nepal at cheaper rates.

During interrogation, the two stated that they had assembled at the hospital to deliver the smuggled drug to a party, police said. PTI COR NAV DV DV