# Himachal barber unmasked as opium trafficker, police seize assets worth ₹1.64 crore in Shimla

> A barber in Shimla's Theog area, Sohan Lal alias Happy, turned out to be running an opium smuggling network behind his salon, prompting police to seize assets worth ₹1.64 crore under the NDPS Act.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Himachal Pradesh · **Published:** 2026-09-08 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/himachal-pradesh/shimla-men-nai-ki-dukana-ki-ara-men-chalata-tha-aphima-ka-dhndha-1-64-karora-mulya-ki-snpatti-jabta-29497 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Shimla drug trafficking, Himachal Pradesh police, NDPS Act, property seized, opium smuggling, Theog

Police in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla district have seized assets worth more than ₹1.64 crore from a man who ran a barbershop, after finding that his salon was merely a front for an opium and drug smuggling operation. Additional SP Mehr Kanwar of Shimla confirmed the crackdown, describing it as part of a wider financial offensive against drug trafficking networks.

## A salon that hid a smuggling operation
A case was registered at Theog police station on June 10, 2026, against the accused, Sohan Lal alias Happy. Police recovered around 71 grams of opium from his barbershop at Rahighat. Investigators found that Sohan Lal had been illegally supplying opium across Theog, Kotkhai, Rohru and nearby areas for a long time, using his salon business as cover while running the drug trade largely unchecked.

## Financial probe uncovers crores in hidden assets
Once the drug case was registered, police launched a financial investigation into the income and holdings of the accused and his associates. The probe identified a residential plot, agricultural land, a two-storey shop, a vehicle, and deposits held in bank and post office accounts, together valued at ₹1.64 crore. Police said these assets appeared, prima facie, to have been acquired from earnings of the illegal drug trade, and were accordingly seized under the provisions of the NDPS Act.

## Over ₹8 crore seized in 2026 so far
ASP Mehr Kanwar said Shimla police have, through financial investigations in 12 NDPS cases in 2026 alone, seized movable, immovable and financial assets worth more than ₹8 crore. She noted that no such financial probe or asset seizure had taken place in similar cases during 2024 and 2025. Police said their action will no longer stop at recovering drugs and making arrests, and that they will continue to strictly target illegal properties built from the proceeds of the drug trade.

## What this means for you
This action shows police are now hitting drug traffickers directly in their pockets, which affects both public safety and the confidence smugglers have in getting away with it.

- **Across India:** Drug enforcement is no longer limited to arrests, financial action like asset seizure is now part of the process. This sends a message nationwide that property built from illegal earnings is no longer safe from the law.
- **In Shimla:** People living in Theog, Kotkhai and Rohru areas can expect closer scrutiny of local smuggling networks. Local police are now combining drug recovery with financial probes, which could help curb opium supply in these areas.
- **Warning for small businesses:** Anyone running an illegal activity behind a small business, such as a shop or salon, should note that financial investigations can expose the real source of their earnings.
- **2026 numbers:** Shimla police have already seized more than ₹8 crore in assets across 12 cases in 2026, compared to zero such seizures in 2024 and 2025, marking a clear shift in policy.

## Why this happened
The case came to light after around 71 grams of opium was recovered from a barbershop at Rahighat, following which police began a deeper probe into the accused's financial dealings.

- **Initial recovery:** The opium found at Sohan Lal's shop in the case registered on June 10, 2026 raised suspicion that this was more than small-scale smuggling.
- **A long-running trade:** Investigation revealed the accused had been supplying opium across Theog, Kotkhai and Rohru for a long time, which is how he built up sizeable assets.
- **A shift in policy:** After no financial probes or seizures in similar cases during 2024 and 2025, police changed their approach in 2026 and began routinely tying financial investigation to NDPS cases, which is what brought this case to the surface.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Who is Sohan Lal?
Sohan Lal alias Happy ran a barbershop at Rahighat in Shimla's Theog area, which was actually a front for opium trafficking.

### 2. How much property did police seize?
Police seized assets worth more than ₹1.64 crore belonging to the accused and his associates.

### 3. When was the case registered?
The case was registered at Theog police station on June 10, 2026.

### 4. What was recovered initially?
Around 71 grams of opium was recovered from the accused's barbershop.

### 5. Which areas was the smuggling happening in?
The accused was supplying opium across Theog, Kotkhai, Rohru and nearby areas.

### 6. How much property has been seized in 2026 so far overall?
According to ASP Mehr Kanwar, Shimla police have seized more than ₹8 crore in assets across 12 NDPS cases in 2026 so far.

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