Rourkela: In a major breakthrough against interstate drug trafficking, Rourkela police on Tuesday arrested six persons and seized over 500 kg of Ganja at Bondamunda Road under the jurisdiction of Plantsite Police Station.
The arrested have been identified as Gunanidhi Ghusi (36), Sukhanth Oram (37), Rahul Kumar Sahu (25), Nikhil Ray (23), Kaushik Kumar Padhee (31), and Niraj Sonkar (24). Police said that Niraj Sonkar and Nikhil Ray have prior criminal records. A case has been registered under Section 20(b)(ii)(C)/25 of the NDPS Act (Case No. 139), and further investigations are underway to trace the smuggling network.
According to police, the operation was carried out on the intervening night of February 16–17, 2026, after they received credible intelligence about a large drug consignment. A team led by SI S. Pradhan intercepted five vehicles near Bondamunda Road.
The investigation revealed that the accused were transporting Ganja from the Kandhamal-Boudh region, bound for Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
During the raid, police recovered 502 kg 400 g of contraband Ganja, five vehicles, eight mobile phones, and Rs 2,300 in cash. Police have confirmed that the investigation is ongoing to identify further accomplices and dismantle the trafficking network.
