Tour operator to ecstasy convict: Solan man’s case opens up trail of international drug network
Pankaj Sharma, a 39-year-old tour operator from Himachal Pradesh, found himself entangled in a drug trafficking case when he was arrested in Solan in July 2023. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized two parcels containing narcotics, which led to the investigation uncovering a potential network of international drug trafficking involving several European countries. Sharma was sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹1 lakh under the NDPS Act, 1985.
Sharma had established a tour and travel business in 2018-19 and had no prior criminal history. He married a Russian national, Liubor Bogacheva, in 2020 after meeting her during a travel assignment in Himachal Pradesh. The NCB's investigation revealed alleged connections with Swedish national Aleks Ansgar Toolanen, Bengaluru resident Manan, and Gaurav from Solan. However, the prosecution could only convict Sharma, while Toolanen and Gaurav were not prosecuted, and Manan remained at large.
The investigation also alleged that Sharma had discussed plans for hydroponic cannabis cultivation and methamphetamine production, as well as setting up a laboratory in a mud house. No concrete evidence was found to support these claims. The defense argued that the prosecution’s broader theory lacked merit and alleged procedural lapses.
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