Drug Bust / Cashew Shells on Top, 10.25 Quintals of Ganja Below: Here's How Kandhamal Police Busted Major Haul

Phulbani, Aug 9: Phiringia police in Kandhamal district seized 10.25 quintals of ganja allegedly being transported to Maharashtra in a truck loaded with cashew shells and arrested two persons in connection with the seizure.

The arrested persons have been identified as Lal Mohan Rai from Mohanpur police station area in Samastipur district of Bihar, who was driving the truck, and Sanand Sahu of Rundimahul village under Kantamal police station in Boudh district.

Acting on a tip-off about the illegal consignment, a special police team led by SI Ajay Kumar Sahu, under the direction of Phiringia police station's IIC Muralidhar Sahu, intercepted the truck near Balampadar Chhak on the Phiringia-Phulbani main road.

The ganja was unloaded and weighed in the presence of Phiringia Additional Tahasildar Pruthviraj Mahanandia, who was performing magisterial duties during the operation.

According to Kandhamal SP Ramendra Prasad, a case was registered at Phiringia police station following the seizure and the two accused were subsequently forwarded to court.

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Police said the seizure was part of a special drive being conducted across Kandhamal district to curb the illegal transportation of ganja.

225 Kg Ganja Seized In Kandhamal
In a separate incident on Saturday, the Excise Department had seized 225 kg of ganja from a car and a pickup van during a raid at Barapada Chhak under Sadar police station limits in Kandhamal district.

Acting on a tip-off about ganja being transported from Phulbani to outside the district, two special teams of the Excise Department conducted a raid at Barapada Chhak on the direction of Kandhamal District Excise Superintendent Sushant Kumar Padhi. The excise teams intercepted and searched the two vehicles, recovering a total of 225 kg of ganja. While the pickup van driver abandoned the vehicle and fled, two alleged ganja traffickers travelling in the car were arrested and later forwarded to court.