Rs 2 cr opium seized by Hyd police

Hyderabad police on Friday arrested an inter-state drug peddler and seized seven kilograms of opium and two kilograms of poppy straw (the dried parts of the opium poppy plant), worth around Rs 2 crore, officials said.

The accused, Lokesh Bareth, hails from Rajasthan and previously worked as a hotel manager in Udaipur. After losing his job due to a change in hotel management, he remained unemployed for three months before coming into contact with Jagadish Gujjar. The two hatched a plan to make quick money by buying, transporting, and selling opium to cities including Hyderabad and Chennai.

According to the police, Lokesh had already delivered two kilograms of opium in Hyderabad in August this year, following instructions from Gujjar.

On October 8, he boarded a train from Rajasthan carrying seven kilograms of opium and two kilograms of poppy straw. He arrived in Hyderabad on Friday and reached Kundanpally near the Outer Ring Road Rotary to hand over the drugs to an unknown person.

The Special Operations Team (SOT) of Malkajgiri, along with Keesara police, intercepted Lokesh and seized the entire consignment, which was found in a leather bag and briefcase.

Jagadish Gujjar, the alleged mastermind behind the operation, is still at large. Police said efforts are ongoing to apprehend him.

This seizure is one of the largest in recent months and highlights Hyderabad police’s continued crackdown on inter-state drug trafficking.