Bhubaneswar: In two separate operations over the weekend, excise and police officials arrested seven persons involved in illegal ganja transportation across Odisha.
On Sunday, the Intelligence and Enforcement Bureau of the Excise Department in Berhampur apprehended six persons at Balisira, Ganjam district, carrying 50 kilograms of ganja. The accused were allegedly transporting the contraband from Kandhamal to Bhubaneswar.
The arrested persons have been identified as Dushasan Mallick (19), Jitendra Mallick (26), Satyanarayan Mallick (23), Samuel Digal (38), Prakash Mallick (19), and Ajit Kumar Digal (35).
Officials seized five mobile phones, a car, and two motorcycles from the accused, with the total estimated value of the confiscated items amounting to approximately Rs 30 lakh.
“While the ganja was being transported in the car, two others led the way on motorcycles,” said Srutikant Rout, DSP of the Intelligence and Enforcement Bureau.
Rout added that investigations are ongoing to verify the suspects’ involvement in previous drug smuggling cases and to identify any accomplices. “Thanks to timely intervention, the plan to transport ganja to other states was foiled,” he said.
In a separate case in Rourkela, police arrested 45-year-old Keshab Lenka on Sunday for allegedly transporting 700 grams of ganja. Acting on a tip-off, Sub-Inspector Subrat Panda and personnel from the Plantsite Police Station apprehended Lenka near Gate-2 of the Birsa Munda Athletic Stadium during patrol.
