Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, Subarnapur Police on Sunday seized more than 12.5 quintals of ganja, estimated to be worth around Rs 13 crore, during a special operation in the district, police said.
Acting on a tip-off about the illegal transportation of a large consignment of ganja through the Subalaya police station area, a police team launched a targeted operation to intercept the vehicle carrying the contraband.
During the operation, police intercepted the truck and conducted a search. However, the driver and other persons allegedly involved in transporting the contraband fled the spot after noticing the police team.
Police subsequently seized the truck along with the ganja loaded in it. The total quantity of the contraband was found to be more than 12.5 quintals, with its estimated market value pegged at around Rs 13 crore.
No arrests have been made so far in connection with the seizure. Police have launched raids at several locations and intensified efforts to trace and apprehend the accused who managed to escape from the spot.
A case has been registered at Subalaya police station, and further investigation is underway to identify the persons involved in the transportation of the contraband and the larger drug trafficking network behind the consignment.
The seizure has been hailed as a significant success for Sonpur Police under the state government’s “Nisha Mukta Odisha Abhiyan”. The State Police Headquarters also appreciated the operation.
Odisha DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania congratulated Subarnapur SP Narayan Nayak and his team for the successful seizure and urged the police to continue the crackdown on illegal drug trafficking in the state.
Police are now probing the source of the ganja, its intended destination and the identities of others allegedly linked to the consignment.
