UNDERthe dedicated anti-narcotics campaign titled ‘Nashe Se Doori Hai Zaroori’ spearheaded by Bhopal Police, a comprehensive crackdown against drug trafficking and cannabis smuggling is underway across the capital. Heightened surveillance and relentless raids conducted by local police units and the Crime Branch have unsettled local drug networks, forcing dealers to fundamentally alter their operational methods to evade arrest. Pressured by frequent contraband seizures and growing enforcement on suppliers, city peddlers are abandoning traditional distribution practices to test new strategies aimed at remaining under the police radar. Previously, drug traffickers conducted illicit sales from designated locations and fixed hotspots across the city, allowing law enforcement officers to easily identify and arrest suspects. However, in response to intensified police vigilance, most traffickers have shut down stationary selling points and shifted toward an ‘on-demand delivery’ model. Under this revised mechanism, illicit contraband is dispatched directly to consumers upon receiving phone calls or messaging requests, creating tactical challenges for police attempting to intercept these mobile peddlers. Mobile peddlers target campus youth and hostels According to police, mobile peddlers operating the ondemand delivery network are aggressively targeting college students and young residents. Because students generally avoid visiting notorious drug haunts that are under heavy police surveillance, traffickers exploit this hesitation by operating directly around college campuses, student hostels, and nearby cafes or tea stalls. Smugglers extend their criminal reach by delivering illicit substances directly to locations requested by young buyers.

 

Daily citywide cannabis consumption exceeds ten kilograms:Estimates compiled by police and security agencies indicate that over ten kilograms of illegal cannabis are sold and consumed daily across Bhopal. Law enforcement officials emphasise that seized consignments intercepted during routine vehicular checks or through informant leads represent only a fraction of total street volume. A substantial quantity of contraband bypasses physical checkpoints to reach end consumers directly, prompting authorities to continuously expand their technical and physical surveillance parameters. Talaiya Police apprehend seven traffickers in Itwara raid:Executing a targeted drive against drug syndicates, Talaiya police achieved a major operational breakthrough in the Itwara area. Police personnel raided a longstanding drug hub and caught seven peddlers red-handed while selling cannabis, recovering over three kilograms of illegal ganja from their possession. Investigating officers confirmed that the arrested individuals had operated brazenly in the locality for several years prior to the crackdown.

 

Beyond Itwara, law enforcement agencies have identified numerous primary hotspots for cannabis and illegal drug distribution across municipal limits. Key surveillance zones include Shukrawara Market, Chetak Bridge area in Govindpura, Bhanpur in Chhola, Mangalwara, TT Nagar, slum clusters surrounding BHEL, MP Nagar, Kolar, and Vajpayee Nagar in Shahjahanabad. Police teams maintain continuous patrolling and targeted raids across all identified locations to apprehend offenders. Over 250 kilograms cannabis seized: According to annual data released by the Crime Branch, anti-narcotics drives executed this year have yielded significant success. Police have confiscated over 255 kilograms of illicit cannabis valued at more than Rs 76 lakh while arresting over 60 peddlers. Looking at cumulative records over the past four years, Bhopal Police have recovered more than 1,400 kilograms of illegal ganja across various city jurisdictions. Confidential helpline receives up to 25 calls: police authorities have displayed Narcotics Department helpline numbers on public posters and hoardings. Officials report receiving 20 to 25 tip-offs daily on the dedicated helpline.