ANTF arrest trafficker on therun for 3 years

Jaipur: The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Sunday arrested a drug trafficker from Jalore who had evaded police for more than three years by avoiding mobile phones and operating through a shadow network centred around a motor garage in Jalore.

IG (ANTF) Vikas Kumar identified the accused as Manoharlal Vishnoi, a resident of Liyadra village in Jalore. He carried a cumulative reward of Rs 30,000 on his head from police in Jalore and Nagaur districts.

Officials said Vishnoi was among the early traffickers to bring MD drugs into Rajasthan from Gujarat and earn commissions via distribution networks. He had previously been booked in narcotics trafficking and vehicle theft cases and also served jail terms for drug-related offences.

Police said the accused managed to remain off the radar of law enforcement agencies by completely avoiding the use of mobile phones. Instead, he relied on a network of trusted associates and used a motor garage in Sanchore as a rendezvous point and command centre while moving between hideouts.

The breakthrough in the case came when the ANTF received a tip off that Vishnoi was scheduled to visit the garage for a meeting related to modifications of vehicles used to smuggle drugs. Acting on the information, ANTF teams laid a trap and nabbed him upon arrival.

Kumar said Vishnoi dropped out of school after Class VI and began working in the automobile repair business before establishing his own garage in Sanchore. He later became involved in stolen vehicle rackets before subsequently entering the narcotics trade.

Officials said Vishnoi is also wanted in a case being investigated by the Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) in connection with the Sub-Inspector recruitment examination scam.

Police said his arrest is expected to provide fresh leads into drug smuggling routes and trafficking networks operating in western Rajasthan.