A huge cache of cannabis locally called ganja was seized by police in Odisha’s Koraput district, and five suspected drug peddlers were taken into custody under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, police said on Wednesday.
The police squad intercepted an SUV near a checkpost in the Padwa police station area and arrested the drug traffickers as they were trying to flee while brandishing a pistol.
Around 350 kilograms of high-grade cannabis valued at Rs 35 lakh and two pistols were seized from their possession.
Displaying exceptional courage and tactical skill, the police team successfully apprehended all five individuals and secured the weapon without any casualties, according to a police statement.
One of the accused, Lal Bahadur Darjee (34), has a history of more than 20 serious criminal cases registered against him, including those under the POCSO Act, NDPS Act (drug trafficking), extortion, and organised crime. He was an absconder in multiple cases and had non-bailable warrants issued against him by the court, police said.
Cannabis, a banned substance under the NDPS Act, is churned out from the hemp plants. Odisha is one of the leading cannabis-producing states in India, while eight districts—Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput, Boudh, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Ganjam, and Nabarangpur—are widely regarded as the epicentre of hemp cultivation.
The contraband smuggled from Koraput and Malkangiri makes its way to the southern and northern parts of the country through well-oiled rackets of middlemen. The contraband is smuggled to various destinations either by road or rail, confided the officials.
In another development, the National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against a notorious history-sheeter identified as Hrudananda Nayak with a formidable history of crimes, including serious offences such as extortion and NDPS Act violations. He has been taken into custody after completing all necessary legal and procedural compliances, police added.