Lucknow: The Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) Preventive Cell, Barabanki, arrested a suspected drug trafficker and seized 2.156 kg of illicit crude morphine during an operation near Ahmedpur Toll Plaza on National Highway 27, officials said.The action followed specific intelligence inputs indicating that narcotic substances were being transported in a vehicle travelling from Siliguri. Acting on the tip-off, a CBN team mounted surveillance and intercepted the vehicle near the toll plaza before conducting a search in line with mandated legal procedures.Officials said the search led to the discovery of a concealed compartment inside the vehicle. On opening the hidden chamber, the team recovered four packets containing crude morphine, weighing a total of 2.156 kg.The driver, identified as Khalid Hasan Khan, a resident of Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested on the spot on suspicion of involvement in the transportation of the contraband.The seized narcotic substance and the vehicle allegedly used to ferry it were taken into custody after completion of prescribed formalities. A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and further legal proceedings have been initiated.Investigators are now working to trace the source of the consignment, determine its intended destination, and identify the broader trafficking network linked to the shipment. Officials said the agency is also examining whether other individuals were involved in the supply chain, including those connected to procurement, transport, and distribution.CBN said its Barabanki Preventive Cell has intensified enforcement operations against illegal narcotics trafficking across the region.
