Bhubaneswar: The Excise Department made a surprising discovery while conducting a routine check for ganja at Tehsil Chowk near Rengali in Sambalpur district.
A Scorpio vehicle heading towards Kolkata from Raipur was intercepted, which revealed approximately 100 kg of silver hidden in a secret chamber.
The silver, valued at a substantial amount, was seized by the excise sleuths after the driver failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for transporting the precious metal. Senior officials from the GST Department visited the site to investigate further.
The operation was initiated based on a tip-off about ganja smuggling, but the discovery of silver has shifted the focus towards tax evasion and smuggling of precious metals.
