RPF Crackdown Nets Rs 1.63 Crore in Cash and Drugs Across Hyderabad Division

Hyderabad: The Railway Protection Force has concluded high-impact enforcement drives across the South Central Railway's Hyderabad division, resulting in the recovery of Rs 1.22 crore in unaccounted currency and narcotics worth Rs 41.5 lakh during operations on May 25 and 26.

The coordinated crackdowns, executed through Operation Satark and Operation Narcos, targeted financial irregularities and drug trafficking on railway networks.

Currency Seizure on Devagiri Express

During Operation Satark on May 26, RPF personnel intercepted a passenger aboard the Devagiri Express after the Crime Prevention and Detection Squad identified concerning behavioural patterns and suspicious body movements during standard checks.

A thorough search of the individual yielded two bags containing Rs 1,22,70,000 in cash. Initial questioning indicated the passenger had sourced the funds from Mumbai's Zaveri Bazaar for transport to Secunderabad.

The apprehended individual and confiscated currency were transferred to the Government Railway Police for investigation. The Income Tax Department and Intelligence Bureau have been notified of the seizure. Digital verification efforts are underway through the RPF Cyber Cell and the Interoperable Criminal Justice System.

Multi-State Drug Network Dismantled

Operation Narcos uncovered and disrupted an inter-state trafficking operation, with RPF teams seizing 83 kilograms of marijuana valued at Rs 41.5 lakh from the Nagavali Express.

The operation commenced when surveillance teams detected a passenger displaying nervous behaviour during routine checks. Inspection of the suspect's belongings yielded 48 kilograms of marijuana estimated at Rs 24 lakh.

Interrogation suggested connections to a larger smuggling network spanning Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana. Following this lead, RPF personnel launched a follow-up operation at Charlapalli railway station after data analysis suggested an associate had exited the train with additional contraband.

Employing CCTV footage analysis, digital tracking systems and coordinated field operations, RPF teams arrested three additional individuals, including one woman, in connection with the trafficking ring.

Senior DSC Hyderabad Debashmita C Banerjee characterised the operations as evidence of the force's commitment to combating organised crime through behavioural assessment, information analysis and tech-enabled enforcement strategies.

South Central Railway General Manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava commended the RPF teams for dismantling the trafficking network and ensuring passenger safety on rail services.