Shimla: In a major development in the LSD trafficking case, four police personnel of the Special Task Force (STF) have been sent to four-day police remand by a local court on Friday. The accused were arrested by the Special Cell of Shimla Police in connection with a case registered under the NDPS Act at New Shimla Police Station. All four were posted with the STF in Kullu, a unit formed to crack down on drug trafficking in Himachal Pradesh.
The case has raised serious questions about internal accountability, as the accused were part of the STF, a unit specifically constituted to combat drug trafficking in Himachal Pradesh. All four were posted in Kullu at the time of the incident.
The arrests were made by a team of the Shimla Police’s Special Cell in connection with a case registered under the NDPS Act at the New Shimla Police Station. According to the investigation, the matter dates back to March 7, 2026, when information was received that a person identified as Neville Harrison would reach Bhuntar on March 8 with a consignment of LSD and MDMA.
Acting on the tip-off, the STF personnel—now among the accused—reached Bhuntar and intercepted the suspect. It is alleged that Neville Harrison was carrying 1,450 strips of LSD and 30 grams of MDMA. However, instead of registering a case and seizing the contraband as per procedure, the accused personnel allegedly kept the drug consignment for themselves and did not report the recovery.
This alleged act of suppression and misappropriation has become the central focus of the investigation. Officials believe the police remand will help uncover whether the accused were acting independently or were part of a larger network involved in drug trafficking.
The State CID has also joined the probe and is examining all aspects of the case, including the financial assets of the accused personnel. Investigators are looking into possible disproportionate assets and links with other individuals involved in the narcotics trade.
Sources revealed that the accused police personnel were inducted into the STF from the Police Headquarters over the past two years.
The STF was set up as a key initiative to tackle the growing menace of drugs in the state, with senior police officers tasked with building its operational structure. The involvement of STF personnel in such a case has put the functioning of the unit under scrutiny and is likely to trigger a wider review within the police department.
Further investigation is underway, and more disclosures are expected during the remand period.
