Rachakonda police seize Rs 1 crore worth opium, poppy straw near Keesara, one held from Rajasthan

Hyderabad: The Rachakonda Police on Friday arrested Lokesh Bareth, a native of Rajasthan, near Kundanpally ORR Rotary in Keesara, while he was attempting to deliver 7 kg of opium and 2 kg of poppy straw in the city.

The contraband, packed in 12 packets of opium and four packets of poppy straw, has a market value of approximately Rs 1 crore. A mobile phone was also seized. The main supplier, Jagadish Gujjar, is still at large.

From Rajasthan to Hyderabad

Lokesh Bareth, whose parents are farmers, studied up to the 10th class and initially worked as a sales boy in a textile shop and as a delivery boy with Domino’s Pizza.

He later completed a short-term Hotel Management course in housekeeping in Udaipur and served as a manager at Golden Palm Hotel. Following his dismissal three months ago, he remained unemployed until he met Jagadish Gujjar.

Together, they hatched a plan to procure, transport and sell opium across Hyderabad, Chennai and neighbouring areas.

Previous operations and recent arrest

Police said that in August, Bareth had delivered 2 kg of opium in Hyderabad on Gujjar’s instructions. Following the same plan, he boarded a train from Rajasthan on October 8 with 7 kg of opium and 2 kg of poppy straw.

On October 10, he reached Keesara to hand over the contraband to an unknown receiver. Acting on intelligence, the SOT Malkajgiri team and Keesara Police intercepted and apprehended him at 11 am.

Health risks and legal warning

The Rachakonda Police issued a warning to the public, highlighting the dangers of opium consumption, which can lead to insomnia, depression, physical weakness, respiratory issues, cardiovascular problems, and damage to organs, including the heart, liver, kidneys, and nervous system.

Authorities reminded citizens that procuring, selling, transporting, or consuming narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is a serious crime under Section 31A of the NDPS Act, punishable by imprisonment of up to 10 years and, in extreme cases, the death penalty.

Public appeal

Citizens are urged to avoid involvement in illegal activities and actively contribute to creating a drug-free society.