Patna: Bihar police has confiscated properties worth Rs 18 lakhs of a contraband smuggler in Bihar`s West Champaran district, police said on Tuesday.
In the first-ever case of exercise of 68(E) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, in Bihar, police carried out preliminary attachment of contraband smuggler Gorakh Thakur alias Virendra Thakur yesterday, Director General of Police (DGP) Abhayanand told reporters.
Thakur`s confiscated properties accumulated by smuggling of contraband substances comprised a plot with house worth Rs 11 lakhs, another plot worth Rs four lakhs, Rs 2.5 lakh cash in two bank accounts and two motorcycles, he said.
The contraband smuggler was booked under the Act following seizure of some banned drugs from his possession and was subsequently sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by a local court, the DGP said.
Besides prosecuting Thakur under the NDPS Act, police also sumo moto exercised the section 68(E) the legislation and investigated the properties of the accused and decided to attach the same provisionally, he said.
A report about confiscation of Thakur`s properties, will be sent to a competent authority appointed by the central government in New Delhi which will take a final decision in this regard, Abhayanand said.
The DGP said that the provision related to confiscation of properties amassed through smuggling of contraband substances will be applied against all such accused to deter smuggling of banned drugs.
PTI
