1,700 kg of ganja seized from Odisha's Koraput

In a major haul, Odisha Police have seized 1,700 kilograms of ganja and arrested 26 people in this connection from Koraput district, an official said on Friday. Police said the banned drug was procured from Machkund area of the district, from where it was being smuggled to other states.

"Owing to the lockdown, ganja smugglers are supplying the contraband in vehicles meant for transporting essential commodities to give the police the slip. However, we have intensified our raid in the past few months and have enhanced our patrolling on suspected ganja corridors in the district," Koraput SP Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo said.

Police seized 10 four-wheelers in which around 1,700 kilograms of ganja was being smuggled on Thursday, on the eve of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking,

"We were tipped-off about the consignments and accordingly the vehicles were intercepted at various locations," the SP said.

Raids were conducted at Sunabeda, Semiliguda, Pottangi, Boipariguda, Machkund and Jeypore Sadar police station areas. According to the SP, since August 2019, the district police have seized 25,462 kilograms of ganja and have arrested 263 people for smuggling the contraband.

"Also, we have destroyed around 19,000 cannabis plants spread over 550 acres in the district in past few weeks," the SP said.