Malkangiri: In a major breakthrough, Malkangiri police dismantled a mobile hashish oil manufacturing unit in the Chitrakonda area and seized precursor materials and equipment estimated to be worth around Rs 100 crore.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, police had been tracking the operations of a suspected smuggling syndicate for the past few days. The group was reportedly shifting its mobile setup frequently to evade detection amid continuous raids and heightened surveillance in the region.
The raid was conducted early Sunday morning when a police team led by SDPO Chitrakonda Pradosh Pradhan intercepted a suspicious vehicle near Essar Chhak under Chitrakonda police limits, on the road leading towards Sileru. The operation was supervised by Superintendent of Police, Malkangiri.
During the search, authorities recovered approximately 800 litres of chemical precursors and solvents capable of producing an equivalent quantity of highly potent hashish oil. Officials estimated the market value of the potential output at nearly Rs 100 crore.
In addition, police seized 50 kg of ganja and 2 litres of finished hashish oil from the vehicle. A fully functional mobile manufacturing unit, complete with specialised extraction equipment, was also confiscated.
The vehicle used for transportation, bearing an Andhra Pradesh registration, was found with a falsified number plate and has been impounded.
However, the driver managed to escape into the dense forest nearby, taking advantage of the thick terrain.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the syndicate was attempting to establish a hashish oil production unit in the Chitrakonda area but was repeatedly forced to relocate due to sustained pressure from the police. Further probe is underway to identify and arrest the members involved.
