Craze for 'organic' ganja, charas fuels illicit online business run by students

New Delhi: Noida is currently leading the chart for highest consumption of drugs in northern India where the drug peddlers operate with the help of fake e-commerce company, conducting deliveries in educational institutions and companies.

In Greater Noida, drug packets are being delivered on demand to universities, corporate companies, educational institutions and even residents of posh areas.

The Greater Noida Beta-2 police recently exposed a gang engaged in the illicit trade of marijuana and charas, operating under the guise of an e-commerce company, conducting deliveries in educational institutions and companies.

The police on Tuesday arrested Varsha, a student who had completed her BBA studies, her cousin Chintu Thakur from Bulandshahr, and Pintu and Kalu, along with their associate Jayprakash.

The police seized 20 kg of marijuana, 400 gm of charas, and 148 envelopes from Flipkart, along with 41 packings, polythene, electronic scales, etc. from them.

The gang used Flipkart envelopes to deliver the drugs to universities and corporate companies. The envelopes, used as an e-commerce platform app, escaped suspicion.

To avoid the police and effortlessly reach their customers, these gangs use envelopes from different companies, making it less suspicious.

The female member of the apprehended gang, Varsha, resides in Migsun Ultimo Society in Omicron 2 Sector of Greater Noida and originally hails from Bulandshahr.

Due to her background, nobody suspected her, and she seamlessly entered colleges, universities, and companies under the pretext of education and employment. The packaging from Flipkart served as a convenient cover, as people seldom inspected the contents closely.

The primary reasons for the involvement of young individuals and students in these gangs are cigarettes, alcohol. After developing a taste for these vices in the college environment with friends, limited funds from home prompt students to view this illegal trade as an easy means to fulfill their addiction and other needs.

Initially, they engage in this trade to fulfill their addiction, but after witnessing substantial profits, they gradually become integral members of such groups.

Drug peddlers purchase ganja from the North East at a cost of Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 per kg and sell it at the price of Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.

People bringing ganja from Odisha, often purchase it at a lower cost, and distribute it at significantly higher prices in different locations across NCR.

The joint team of Narcotics Cell Gautam Buddh Nagar and Badalpur Police in Greater Noida on Thursday arrested two accused involved in drug trafficking with two quintals and 48 kg of ganja and an Ashok Leyland Canter.

Four traffickers, including a woman, were arrested on Tuesday, and 20 kilograms of ganja, 400 grams of charas, Flipkart envelopes, and a motorcycle were seized.

On October 14, the Crime Branch of Ghaziabad Police arrested a trafficker who was transporting ganja from Odisha to NCR in a large 18-wheeler truck. The police seized 300 kg of ganja from him, valued at Rs 2.5 crore