Heroin worth Rs 69 lakh was seized with the arrest of five alleged drug traffickers in two linked operations carried out in Darbhanga and Patna on Monday, police said.
Bihar, a prohibition state since 2016, is increasingly witnessing the spread of harder narcotics, particularly heroin (brown sugar or smack). Official figures show seizures have nearly tripled over the past three years, from 23.6 kg in 2023 to 41.9 kg in 2024, before jumping to 65 kg in 2025.
The trend is mirrored in other opioid-based substances. Opium seizures, for instance, spiked sharply in 2025, rising more than sixfold from 10.7 kg in 2024 to over 77 kg.
The latest Rs 69 lakh heroin haul fits into this pattern, pointing to an expanding drug network operating within and through Bihar.
The narcotics challenge, however, is not the only front straining Bihar’s prohibition framework. Even as the state remains under prohibition, enforcement data suggests that liquor continues to flow in at scale. Official figures show total seizures rising from 34.6 lakh litres in 2024 to 37.7 lakh litres in 2025, with the monthly average increasing by 9%.
More striking is the sharp jump in value, from Rs 153 crore in 2024 to nearly Rs 294 crore in 2025, pointing to bigger and more organised consignments. In 2026, the trend has only intensified, with monthly seizures already up by 18% in the first two months.
The latest arrests
Kundan Krishnan, Director General (Operations and STF), Bihar Police, said that 228 grams of heroin, packed in 18 small packets and valued at Rs 45.6 lakh, was recovered during the first operation in the Sadar police station area of Darbhanga, where three accused were apprehended.
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The arrested have been identified as Kundan Kumar, Deepu Kumar and Ratnesh Kumar, all residents of Fenhara village in East Champaran district. Four mobile phones and Rs 1,400 in cash were also seized.
Krishnan said five persons have been named in the case so far, adding that the arrested accused were part of an interstate network sourcing narcotics from Silchar in Assam. The supplier has been identified as Pawan Singh Bhumihar, currently residing in Guwahati, while the consignment was allegedly meant for a Patna-based receiver, Manish Kumar.
“The network of these traffickers extends across Bihar, Assam and other states,” Krishnan said, adding that they had been involved in drug trafficking for a considerable period.
Police said Ratnesh Kumar had previously been jailed in Guwahati under the NDPS Act in 2020-21, while Deepu Kumar had earlier served time in a prohibition-related case in Kohima, Nagaland.
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Based on inputs gathered during interrogation, Krishnan said, the “forward linkage” of the consignment was traced to Patna, following which a raid was conducted to track the supply chain. A joint team of STF, Narcotics Cell, ANTF and district police raided a flat in Vastu Vihar, Methiyapur, under the Shahpur police station area and arrested two more accused.
The two have been identified as Manish Kumar Singh and Kanhaiya Kumar, both natives of Mohiuddin Nagar in Samastipur district. Police said 117 grams of heroin worth Rs 23.4 lakh was recovered from their possession, along with three mobile phones, a Scorpio vehicle and four gold rings.
Krishnan said Manish Kumar Singh has a prior case under the NDPS Act and had earlier been jailed in a railway police case.
All five accused have been handed over to the respective police stations in Darbhanga and Patna for further legal action. Police said efforts are underway to identify other members of the network and verify their further criminal antecedents.
Himanshu Harsh is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, currently leading on-the-ground coverage in Bihar. With a reporting career rooted in the complexities of the National Capital Region (NCR), Himanshu specializes in the critical intersection of law, crime, and civic governance.
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An alumnus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, Himanshu brings a rigorous academic foundation to his investigative work. His expertise is characterized by a "ground-up" reporting style, most notably demonstrated during his extensive coverage of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where he analyzed shifting political landscapes and grassroots sentiment.
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Himanshu’s portfolio reflects versatility, allowing him to navigate diverse industries and social issues:
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