Shimla, August 27: A drug peddler was arrested in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh with 19 kg of fine quality hashish (cannabis) worth crores in the international market, a police official said.
“This (Thursday) morning a drug peddler was arrested in Banjar area of Kullu for carrying the fine quality hashish,” Superintendent of Police K.K. Indoria told IANS by phone.
The arrested man, Shyam Singh, is a resident of Kullu district and has been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), he said.
This is the second major drug recovery in Kullu district in the past two weeks. Earlier, Budh Ram was arrested with 28 kg hashish.
In recent years, Kullu Valley has gained notoriety as a drug haven.
The ‘Malana Cream’ variety of cannabis is considered one of the best in the international drug market.
According to police, the foreigners are providing high-yield variety cannabis seeds imported from Holland and Russia to farmers for planting in various high-altitude areas like Malana, Bhelang, Melandar, Magic and Kutlah in the Kullu Valley as well as the Chauhar and Seraj valleys in Mandi district.
In the past 10 years, 208 foreigners have been arrested in the state and 757 cases registered under the NDPS Act.
—IANS