KATHMANDU: Police have arrested 20 individuals in separate anti-drug operations conducted in different parts of the country during routine patrols.

According to the Central Police Newsroom, the suspects were apprehended from Bhaktapur, Rupandehi, Nawalparasi West, Makawanpur, Palpa, Dang, Jhapa, Dhankuta, and Bara.

The arrests included one person each from Sallaghari in Bhaktapur Municipality-1, Lokanthali in Madhyapur Thimi Municipality-1, Thutepipal in Omsatiya Rural Municipality-1 of Rupandehi, Udayapur in Siddharthanagar Municipality-9, and Piprahawa in Ramgram Municipality-17 of Nawalparasi West.

Additional arrests were made in Chuchekhola of Hetauda Sub-metropolitan City-6, Mowti Sheetalnagar of Rampur Municipality-7 in Palpa, Jhigai of Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City-17 in Dang, Thumbedin Hotel and Lodge in Arjundhara Municipality-11 of Jhapa, Kotihom in Kankai Municipality-4, Mangmaya in Pakhribas Municipality-5 of Dhankuta, and Gobas Tole in Mahagadhimai Municipality-10 of Bara.

Police said the seized substances included brown heroin, marijuana, and controlled medicines such as tramadol that can only be obtained with a doctor’s prescription.

The suspects were taken into custody on Friday and the previous Thursday, and further investigation is underway.