Palamu police seize 18.47 kg of ganja in Hariharganj, auto driver arrested
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Daltonganj, October 13: Hariharganj police in Palamu district seized 18.47 kg of ganja from a CNG autorickshaw on…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, October 13: Hariharganj police in Palamu district seized 18.47 kg of ganja from a CNG autorickshaw on National Highway 139 on Monday, October 12, and arrested the vehicle’s driver.
The contraband, weighing 18 kg and 470 grams, was concealed beneath the driver’s and passengers’ seats in a specially designed box, according to Hariharganj police station officer-in-charge Deobrat Poddar.
The arrested driver has been identified as Md Nayeem, 52. Police also seized the autorickshaw used to transport the narcotic substance.
According to police, the ganja was packed in 18 packets of different weights and concealed beneath the seats to avoid detection.
Nayeem allegedly told investigators that a local person had entrusted him with the consignment. He claimed he was unaware that the packets contained contraband.
Police suspect that the consignment may have been intended for transportation to Bihar, as Hariharganj lies close to the Jharkhand-Bihar border.
Nayeem was forwarded to judicial custody on Tuesday, October 13, under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Seizure Falls Under Intermediate Quantity Category
The seized quantity of 18.47 kg falls within the intermediate quantity category for ganja under the NDPS framework, as it exceeds the small-quantity threshold of 1 kg but remains below the commercial-quantity threshold of 20 kg.
The distinction is significant because the quantity involved determines the applicable legal provisions and the potential severity of punishment. Commercial quantity offences attract more stringent punishment provisions than offences involving intermediate quantities.
Police are investigating the alleged source and intended destination of the consignment.
