Himalaya Harbinger, Uttarakhand Bureau.
In a major crackdown against narcotics trafficking under Uttarakhand’s “Drug-Free Devbhoomi” campaign, the Special Task Force (STF) and Pulbhatta police jointly arrested an alleged drug smuggler with 129 grams of heroin valued at nearly ₹38 lakh in the international market.
The accused, identified as Mahesh Maurya, son of Roshan Lal and a resident of Chaundera village in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended during a joint operation carried out by the STF’s Anti-Narcotics Kumaon Unit and local police in the Pulbhatta area. Police also seized a Splendor motorcycle allegedly used in the smuggling network.
According to STF officials, the operation was conducted following technical surveillance and manual intelligence inputs developed by the anti-narcotics team. During interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed that he procured heroin at lower prices from contacts in Bareilly and supplied it to the hilly regions of Kumaon at higher rates through different channels.
Officials said efforts are underway to identify both the backward and forward linkages of the drug network to trace suppliers and buyers connected with the racket.
The STF stated that the accused has a long criminal history in Uttar Pradesh, with multiple cases registered against him, including charges related to attempted murder, arms offences, theft, dowry harassment and even a police encounter case.
Senior STF officials reiterated that strict action against drug traffickers will continue across Uttarakhand in line with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s anti-drug mission. They also appealed to the public to stay away from narcotics and share information regarding drug trafficking activities with police and STF authorities.
