A major narcotics racket was uncovered in Gujarat’s Kutch district after police seized illegal opium poppy cultivation worth more than Rs. 9 crore from government land near Bhimasar village in Rapar taluka.
According to reports, the crackdown followed a four-day surveillance and investigation led by the Cyber Cell of the Kutch Range, under the supervision of the Border Range Inspector General of Police.
Acting on specific inputs, officials raided a hilly stretch of government land where opium poppy had been grown across nearly two acres.
During the operation, police confiscated 1,05,200 opium poppy plants weighing 6,172 kilograms. The contraband, packed into 513 bags, is estimated to have a black market value exceeding Rs. 9.25 crore. Officers said the accused were caught in the act of extracting opium latex from the pods when the team moved in.
Three individuals have been arrested in connection with the case. The alleged kingpin, Prabhubhai Bhanabhai Sodha, a resident of Bhimasar, is accused of spearheading the cultivation. The other two arrested have been identified as Ishwar Diabhai Goyal and Mansukh Vajabhai Goyal. The trio was presented before a court, where police sought 14 days’ remand; six days of custody were granted for further interrogation.
Investigators believe the cultivation was carried out on government waste or grazing land. During preliminary questioning, Sodha reportedly told officials that he began agricultural activities on the hilly plot around two years ago. He allegedly turned to opium cultivation three months ago after watching online videos and learning about the rising market demand and prices for opium and poppy husk (posh-doda).
Police are now examining call detail records and financial links to determine the intended buyers and whether the seized crop was part of a broader distribution network. Authorities are also probing possible connections between the accused and earlier petrol and diesel theft cases.
Meanwhile, revenue authorities have been contacted to verify land ownership records and establish whether the plot falls under government grazing land or village land classification.
The seizure marks one of the significant anti-narcotics operations in the Kutch region this year, with investigators continuing efforts to trace supply chains and dismantle any larger syndicate involved.
Also Read: Pipe Dreams: Afghan Opium Trade Booms Despite Taliban Ban https://www.vibesofindia.com/pipe-dreams-afghan-opium-trade-booms-despite-taliban-ban/
