Ludhiana, Nov 15 (IANS) A Special NDPS Court in Punjab’s Ludhiana sentenced a truck driver from Himachal Pradesh to 10-year rigorous imprisonment for seizure of 16.470 kg charas from his vehicle in Ludhiana, a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) official said on Sunday.
Special Judge Ranjeev Kumar Vishisht sentenced Kayum Khan on November 12 after accepting the case of the NCB”s Chandigarh Zonal Unit in the interstate drug trafficking case.
Acting on specific intelligence, an NCB team had intercepted a Tata 407 Tempo at Ladowal Toll Plaza in Ludhiana, and recovered 16.470 kg of charas concealed in the rear portion of the vehicle, the official said in a statement.
Kayum Khan alias Quem Khan, a resident of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh, was arrested at the time of the seizure of the contraband, the statement said.
Later, the Central Revenues Control Laboratory (CRCL) in New Delhi confirmed the seized substance to be charas, it added.
The Special Court convicted the accused under Section 20(b)(ii)(C) of the NDPS Act, 1985, and awarded 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 1 lakh, the statement said.
In default of payment of fine, Khan will undergo further rigorous imprisonment for one year, the statement added.
The Special Court also ordered confiscation of the vehicle under Section 60 of the NDPS Act, 1985, it said.
Earlier, the NCB presented a report card on its successful operations during October, highlighting that the anti-narcotics agency busting clandestine drug-manufacturing labs in Greater Noida and seized 380 kg contraband from the North-East.
In a message on social media platform X, the NCB said, “October 2026 reflected NCB’s continued commitment to effective implementation of Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026–29), taking forward the national resolve to achieve a Drug-Free India.”
It listed the month’s achievements from busting clandestine drug-manufacturing labs in Greater Noida and recovering 380 kg of amphetamine-containing material to Operation ‘Trident’, with 38 teams striking 38 locations across North-East against drug trafficking networks, significant convictions, destruction of seized narcotics, large-scale destruction of illicit cannabis cultivation, impactful Joint Coordination Committee meetings, high-level meetings and capacity-building initiatives.
–IANS
rch/khz
