Nagpur: Continuing its crackdown on narcotics trafficking, Nagpur Rural Police have unearthed an interstate opium smuggling racket and seized contraband and equipment worth over ₹13 lakh during a raid in Jharkhand’s Khunti district.
The latest breakthrough came during the investigation of an opium trafficking case registered at Umred Police Station on May 20, 2026. Acting on leads developed by the Anti-Narcotics Cell of Nagpur Rural Police, officers traced the network’s supply chain deep into Jharkhand and launched a coordinated operation.
Earlier in the investigation, police had raided Simdega in Jharkhand and arrested hotel businessman Manish Kumar Ambikaprasad (46). During that operation, authorities recovered 33.767 kg of opium, ₹23.35 lakh in cash, and other materials, collectively valued at ₹1.92 crore.
Following the arrest, a special team working under the guidance of Nagpur Rural Superintendent of Police Harsh Poddar and Additional Superintendent of Police Anil Mhaske conducted an extensive interrogation of the accused. The questioning revealed that Vimal Singh Munda, a resident of Khunti district in Jharkhand, was allegedly a key supplier in the interstate narcotics network.
Police launched a search for Munda but found that he had absconded. With assistance from local police, a raid was conducted at his residence in Bundu town. During the search, officers recovered a substantial quantity of opium and other incriminating materials.
In the June 3 operation, police seized 2.285 kg of opium valued at approximately ₹11.42 lakh, along with one laptop, two mobile handsets, and an electronic weighing scale. The total value of the confiscated property was estimated at ₹13.05 lakh.
Nagpur Rural Police said the investigation is ongoing and efforts are underway to identify and apprehend other members of the interstate drug trafficking syndicate. The operation has sent shockwaves through narcotics networks operating across state borders and has drawn praise for the sustained efforts of the Nagpur Rural Police in combating drug-related crimes.
