The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 591.3 kg of ganja (cannabis) in an intelligence-led operation conducted during 17–18 October 2026 in Uttar Pradesh, according to the Ministry of Finance. Acting on specific intelligence that a truck carrying ganja from Nepal would enter Uttar Pradesh through Sonauli, DRI officers at Gorakhpur launched a coordinated surveillance operation with teams at Lucknow, Patna and Varanasi.
After more than four hours of sustained surveillance, the suspect vehicle was identified and intercepted on the road between Gorakhpur and Kushinagar. A meticulous search revealed two specially engineered concealed cavities — one above the hood and another behind the driver's seat — containing 81 packets of ganja weighing a total of 591.3 kg, the ministry said.
The entire consignment, along with the truck used to transport it, was seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
The DRI said the seizure shows its resolve to disrupt narcotics supply chains through intelligence-led enforcement and detection of sophisticated concealment techniques, and underscores the need for sustained vigilance against suspected cross-border drug trafficking routes.
Gorakhpur–Kushinagar road, Uttar Pradesh • 591.3 kg ganja in 81 packets • Hidden in two specially fabricated cavities in the truck • Truck and consignment seized under the NDPS Act, 1985 • Operation conducted 17–18 October 2026
Sources: ANI report of the Ministry of Finance statement, 19 October 2026; Indian Economic Observer and News Riveting reports of the same DRI operation.