Kalimela (Malkangiri): Kalimela police have seized 1,325 kg of illicit ganja, estimated to be worth ₹66.25 lakh, during a raid near Gagrimetla forest in Malkangiri district, suspecting the involvement of an interstate drug trafficking network.
Acting on specific intelligence about the illegal storage of a large consignment of ganja near the forest, a police team raided the spot. However, the suspected trader managed to flee before the police arrived, reportedly after receiving prior information about the raid.
The contraband was seized in the presence of Kalimela Tahsildar-cum-Executive Magistrate Ramakrishna Satyarajaguru and other witnesses.
Police have registered a case at Kalimela police station under Section 20(b)(ii)(C) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Kalimela police station officer Prabhudatta Biswal said preliminary suspicion points to the involvement of ganja traffickers from outside the state. Efforts are underway to identify all those involved in the illegal trade and take strict legal action against them.
Further investigation is in progress to trace the source of the contraband and unravel the network behind the trafficking operation.
