Bhubaneswar: Police in Boudh, Rayagada, and Phulbani districts conducted multiple raids today, seizing a large quantity of ganja and arresting several persons involved in the smuggling network.
According to an official press release, a total of 3,327 kilograms of ganja was confiscated from the accused, along with bikes and pickup vans used for transporting the contraband. Cases have been registered at Gunupur police station (Rayagada district), Gochhapada and Boudh police stations (Boudh district), and Phulbani Sadar police station.
Acting on a tip-off, police intercepted a pickup van near Nendan village under Boudh police station and arrested one suspect. 1,325 kilograms of ganja and the vehicle were seized. In another case registered at Gochhapada police station in Boudh district, police raided the Padebi village area under Katrengia Gram Panchayat and seized 1,020 kilograms of ganja along with an SUV. The accused was taken into custody.
During a vehicle check at the RMC checkpoint under Gunupur police station in Rayagada district, police seized 630 kilograms of ganja from an accused named Jayant Behera, who was subsequently arrested and produced in court. In another case registered at Phulbani Sadar police station, police raided the Katrimba Ghati area under Tudipadu Gram Panchayat after receiving intelligence about ganja smuggling. Three suspects—Bhakti Behera, Binod Behera, and Sarala Behera—were arrested, and 352.8 kilograms of ganja, packed in 14 polythene bags, were seized.
Police have intensified their investigation and are conducting further raids to track down other members of the smuggling network. Notably, the Odisha Police have launched a special drive against ganja cultivation, following directives from Director General of Police (DGP) Yogesh Bahadur Khurania to eradicate it at the grassroots level. This campaign, which began on November 1 last year, will continue until March 31, with the goal of completely eliminating ganja cultivation.
So far, 621 cases have been registered across the state, and approximately 25,745 acres of illegal ganja cultivation have been destroyed.
