The anti-narcotic cell of Panchkula, Punjab, arrested a truck driver for carrying 26 kg of poppy husk, the dry residue left after opium is extracted from the poppy pods.
The accused, identified as Lal Chand, is a 62-year-old resident of Pinjore. He was arrested by the police at a checkpoint near Ramgarh in Panchkula while transporting narcotics from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to Himachal Pradesh. During the inspection of the truck at the checkpoint, officers discovered a white bag containing poppy husk hidden behind the driver’s seat. Unable to provide any legal documentation for the possession or transportation of the narcotic, the driver was nabbed.
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985
Further investigations revealed that Lal Chand procured poppy husk from Madhya Pradesh and distributed it in Panchkula and nearby areas. He is being booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985 at Chandimandir Police Station.
The national policy on narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is based on a directive principle (Article 47) of the Indian Constitution. The article directs the state to bring about the prohibition of the consumption of intoxicating drugs that are injurious to health, with an exception for medical purposes. The Indian government policy on the subject is also guided by the international conventions on the subject.
