Fight against drug mafia: Bihar IPS Swarn Prabhat’s two-year crackdown yields 100 convictions, 64 sentences

In a significant push against the drug trade in East Champaran, Superintendent of Police Swarn Prabhat, IPS (2017 Batch) has taken a fight against narcotics beyond arrests and seizures with a sustained focus on investigation, prosecution and convictions.

During the two-year period from September 16, 2024 to September 10, 2026, police records show that 100 accused in narcotics cases were convicted by courts. Of these, 64 received sentences of seven years or more, while the maximum punishment in the cases was 18 years’ imprisonment. Around 500 other accused remain under trial.

The achievement assumes significance in a district located close to the Nepal border, where police have been dealing with interstate and cross-border trafficking networks.

The conviction record includes several cases involving substantial quantities of narcotics. Ussman Sheikh, in a Banjariyapolice-station case, was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment in a case involving 26.434 kg of charas. In another case, Sagar Kumar Pandey received 15 years for a case involving 18.4 kg of charas. Janglal Yadav was similarly sentenced to 15 years in a Palanwa police-station case involving 84 kg of ganja. The police compilation contains details of 100 convictions under various provisions of the NDPS Act.

The crackdown has also produced major seizures. In June 2026, Motihari police and the STF seized 10.54 kg of opium, 4 kg of ganja and 1.1 kg of doda, arresting seven people after following leads allegedly emerging during interrogation.

The broader campaign reflects an emphasis on dismantling trafficking networks through intelligence, investigation and court proceedings. Police data reported in September put the two-year seizure value at approximately ₹52.66 crore, with 531 drug-related cases registered and 669 arrests. The detailed breakdown of seizures recovered over the two-year period includes:

Ganja (Cannabis): 8,967.024 kg (Valued at ₹44.84 crore)

Charas: 117.7094 kg (Valued at ₹2.94 crore)

Opium (Afeem): 52.516 kg (Valued at ₹63 lakh)

Smack: 22.379 kg (Valued at ₹2.91 crore)

Brown Sugar: 2.6835 kg (Valued at ₹1.34 crore)

Hashish: 760 grams

Heroin: 400.3 grams

Swarn Prabhat has also appealed to young people not to become part of the narcotics trade, stressing that the apparent financial gains can ultimately lead to imprisonment and severe punishment.

The figures underline a policing approach in which arrest is treated as only the beginning, the ultimate objective is to build a legally sustainable case ending in conviction.