Woman held in Delhi for smuggling 12.55 kg cannabis from West Bengal via train
According to police, she was supplying the contraband as part of an interstate drug supply network.
The accused, Archana Manna, from Kolkata, was arrested at Ashram Flyover while travelling in an autorickshaw with her daughter and two grandchildren, they said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Manna, moved to Delhi in 2014 and has been working as a domestic help. Her husband died two decades ago.
She was allegedly lured into drug trafficking by acquaintances in Govind Puri, who offered her Rs 10,000 for each delivery.
Police said she was trained by the network in using encrypted apps and deleting call logs to avoid detection. Videos found on her phone showed her discussing the quality of ganja during purchase, they added.
They said that 12.55 kilogram of ganja, packed in 12 polythene packets and concealed in a trolley bag, was seized from her possession.
The contraband was confirmed to be ganja by a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team at the spot, they said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Harsh Indora said the operation followed specific intelligence received on June 16 about a woman transporting cannabis from Odisha and West Bengal to Delhi by train.
Police were deployed at Kashmere Gate railway station to monitor the suspect. The accused managed to slip out of the station amid the rush but was later traced to an autorickshaw heading towards Govind Puri.
She was intercepted at Ashram Flyover and the narcotics were seized after due legal procedures under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) Act.
The accused has been booked under the NDPS Act and further investigation into the supply chain, believed to operate across Odisha, West Bengal, and Delhi, is continuing. PTI SSJ OZ OZ
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First Published:
August 12, 2025, 00:45 IST
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