Panaji: In a major crackdown on organised drug trafficking, the Goa Police Crime Branch has dismantled an interstate narcotics supply network with the arrest of a key accused in Uttar Pradesh following a sustained probe that began with the arrest of three Nepalese nationals in Goa.
The breakthrough came after Crime Branch officials, acting on specific intelligence, conducted a raid on May 20 near the wholesale fish market at Betim Jetty under the Mandovi Bridge, where two Nepalese nationals were apprehended for their alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
Police said 39.88 grams of heroin, valued at approximately ₹8.88 lakh, along with a scooter and mobile phones, were seized during the operation. A case was registered under the relevant provisions of the NDPS Act.
The arrested accused were identified as Arjun Bishwokarma (36) and Chetkant Oli (25), both Nepalese nationals. During further investigation, a third Nepalese national, Narishore Bhandari, was also apprehended.
Officials said sustained interrogation, analysis of digital evidence, and scrutiny of financial transactions revealed a well-organised supply chain extending from the Indo-Nepal border region to Goa.
According to investigators, the accused would place orders for heroin with a supplier based in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, through mobile communication, and payments were allegedly made via online banking and digital platforms. The contraband was then dispatched through parcels sent on direct Goa–Rupaidiha bus services, with Rupaidiha, near the Indo-Nepal border, acting as a key transit point.
Following technical surveillance and financial tracking, the Crime Branch identified the main supplier as Ekhlaq Ahmad alias Manna Malik, a resident of Bahraich, who has multiple criminal antecedents, including serious offences.
A joint operation was subsequently launched in Bahraich with the assistance of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force, leading to Malik’s arrest, police said.
The arrest has helped uncover crucial links in an interstate narcotics network, and further investigation is underway to identify other members, trace the origin of the drugs, and dismantle the entire syndicate, officials added.
The operation was carried out by a Crime Branch team under the supervision of senior officers in coordination with the Uttar Pradesh STF.
