The held SBI Clerk and his aide have been identified as Sushanta Kumar Sahoo a resident of Banka Palasa village and Jugal Sahu, a resident of Sanjamura village of Angul district.
Based on a tip-off that the accused duo was carrying a ganja consignment to an unknown location in a Mahindra XUV last evening, the STF intercepted the SUV near Banka Palasa village and carried out a search.
As 165 kg ganja was recovered from the vehicle and the duo failed to produce any document or authority for possession such contraband, the STF took them into custody.
The SUV used by the peddlers, one SBML gun, a Bajaj Pulsar bike and several other incriminating materials were seized from the spot during the raid.
Cases U/s 20(b)(ii)(c)/29 of NDPS Act 1985 r/w. Sec.25/27 Arms Act has been registered against arrested accused duo after the arrest and an investigation is underway.
Notably, since 2020, STF in the special drive against narcotic drugs has seized more than 50 Kg of Brown Sugar or Heroin and more than 91 quintals of Ganja or Marijuna and arrested more than 130 drug dealers or peddlers.