CNB seizes 5 kg opium hidden in car's secret chamber in Madhya Pradesh

The Central Narcotics Bureau has intercepted a major opium smuggling operation in Madhya Pradesh, seizing 5.156 kilograms of the contraband concealed in a specially constructed secret chamber of a Hyundai i-20 car. A joint team from the CNB's Ujjain and Indore units conducted the operation and arrested the driver.

Acting on specific intelligence, the CNB Ujjain unit learned that illegal opium was being transported from Neemuch to Bengaluru for delivery to an unidentified drug trafficker. The contraband was hidden in a specially designed secret chamber beneath the rear bumper of the vehicle. A joint preventive team comprising officers from the Central Bureau of Narcotics Prevention and Investigation Cell in Ujjain and Indore was formed to intercept the vehicle.

The team successfully tracked the Hyundai i-20 to a roadside hotel on the Manpur-Lebad Highway in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh. During an intensive search of the parked vehicle, officers discovered the concealed chamber in the rear section beneath the bumper, from which they recovered the 5.156 kilograms of opium. The sophisticated hiding technique suggests a well-organized smuggling network attempting to evade detection.

The entire quantity of narcotics and the vehicle have been seized by authorities. One person found at the scene was arrested in connection with the smuggling operation. The CNB is likely to investigate further to uncover the broader network involved in this inter-state drug trafficking operation and identify the intended recipients in Bengaluru. The seizure represents a significant blow to the illicit opium trade operating between Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.