NCB secures conviction of 3 in 16.5 kg charas trafficking case
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, September 19, 2026: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Chandigarh Zonal Unit, has secured the conviction of three persons in an interstate charas trafficking case involving the seizure of 16.5 kg of charas in Chandigarh in 2018.
According to the NCB, a team intercepted a Hyundai Verna near Khuda Lahora Bridge on December 18, 2018, after receiving information about an attempt to smuggle the contraband across the Himachal Pradesh-Chandigarh border.
Two persons, Joginder Singh of Kullu and Anil Kumar of Mandi, both in Himachal Pradesh, were arrested from the spot.
During the investigation, the NCB identified Raj Kumar alias Raju of Kullu as another alleged member of the trafficking network. The agency said the group was involved in supplying charas to Mumbai, Goa, Bengaluru and Chennai.
The 16.5-kg consignment seized in Chandigarh was allegedly meant for Mumbai, from where it was to be distributed to other destinations, the NCB said.
Raj Kumar was arrested on December 20, 2018, and the agency said an additional 80 grams of charas was recovered from his residence in Bhuntar, Himachal Pradesh.
The NCB subsequently filed a complaint against the three accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, before the Special Judge, NDPS Court, Chandigarh, on June 12, 2019.
After completion of the trial, the Special Court convicted all three accused through its judgment dated September 15, 2026.
Joginder Singh and Anil Kumar were sentenced to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment each and fined ₹1 lakh each. Raj Kumar alias Raju was sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹10,000.
The NCB said the conviction reflects its efforts to investigate and prosecute interstate narcotics trafficking cases and contribute to the government’s Nasha Mukt Bharat initiative.