Myanmar national arrested at India-Nepal border with 4.5 kg hydroponic weed worth Rs 4.5 crore

LUCKNOW: Maharajganj Police and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) have seized 4.532 kg of high-grade hydroponic weed worth around Rs 4.5 crore from a Myanmar national at the India-Nepal border in the Sonauli area of Maharajganj district. The accused, identified as Phyo (30), was arrested after police and SSB personnel recovered six packets of contraband from his trolley bag. During questioning, he allegedly revealed that the consignment originated in Thailand and was routed through Nepal for delivery in India, possibly to Delhi. The accused, a resident of the Mandalay region in Myanmar, was intercepted by the SSB during a targeted operation near the international border. He has been handed over, along with the seized contraband, to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) unit in Gorakhpur for further investigation. SSB officials said actionable intelligence was received on Thursday evening indicating that a narcotics carrier would attempt to cross into India near Border Pillar No. 517/2. Acting on the input, a special surveillance team was deployed in the vulnerable stretch. Within hours, personnel identified a suspicious individual crossing from the Nepal side. He was intercepted around 30 metres inside Indian territory. A search of his trolley bag led to the recovery of six packets of hydroponic weed, weighing 4.532 kg in total. An NCB team from Gorakhpur was immediately alerted and reached the spot to begin legal proceedings. Sources in the police said that during preliminary questioning, the accused allegedly revealed that the consignment was handed over to him in Thailand, from where it was moved to Kathmandu before being smuggled into India via Nepal. Officials suspect the involvement of a well-organised international syndicate operating across multiple countries. The seizure highlights an emerging pattern in which drug cartels are increasingly using Nepal as a transit hub to push high-value narcotics into India. Investigators believe the consignment was headed for Delhi, a major consumption and distribution centre for premium-grade cannabis. Officials said traffickers lure carriers with lucrative payments, reportedly offering up to ₹1 lakh for transporting 500 grams to the national capital. “High profit margins and rising demand have made hydroponic weed trafficking a growing concern,” an officer said. Sonauli border emerging as hotspotThe Sonauli border has witnessed a series of similar seizures in recent months, raising concerns over its use as a preferred trafficking route. Over the past six months, agencies have seized narcotics worth crores and arrested several people linked to cross-border networks. In February, two youths were held with nearly 8 kg of hydroponic weed during a joint operation by the SSB and police. They had reportedly received the consignment in Kathmandu for delivery in Delhi. In another case, an arrested couple allegedly disclosed that they were flown to Thailand by handlers to collect drugs. Investigators found that the network arranged logistics, including accommodation in Kathmandu and onward transit into India. Evidence also pointed to the use of the Maitri Bus Service as a route for moving carriers and contraband. Wider network under scannerAgencies suspect the syndicate has links spanning Thailand, Nepal, Myanmar and India, with distribution networks extending to Delhi, Haryana and Goa, where demand for premium cannabis is high. Officials said the arrest of Phyo could provide crucial leads to identify handlers, financiers and local operatives involved in the racket. Financial trails, travel patterns and communication data are now being analysed. Further investigation is underway, and more arrests are expected as agencies tighten the noose around the cross-border drug network.