Bhubaneswar, May 13: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested a notorious inter-state ganja trafficker, Satish Pradhan, in a major crackdown on the illegal cannabis trade.

Pradhan, a hotel owner from Baliguda in Kandhamal district, was apprehended in Sambalpur’s Dhanupali area following a tip-off.

Authorities seized nearly one quintal of ganja from his possession. Despite being wanted in eight cases, Pradhan continued to operate a large-scale syndicate, smuggling cannabis across states including Kerala, Maharashtra, and West Bengal.

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Investigators revealed that his illicit trade had made him a crorepati, and NCB is now probing the wider network linked to his operations.

In a parallel development, customs officials at Bhubaneswar’s Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) intercepted two Tamil Nadu-based smugglers arriving from Bangkok.

Acting on intelligence inputs, officers conducted thorough luggage checks and discovered 11 kilograms of marijuana concealed in two suitcases. The contraband, valued at over ₹4 crore in the international market, was seized, and the smugglers were detained for questioning.

Preliminary interrogation confirmed that the duo had smuggled the marijuana from Bangkok, though they refused to disclose their intended recipients in India. Authorities are conducting marathon interrogations to trace the supply chain.

Officials noted that Bhubaneswar airport has increasingly become a preferred route for smugglers due to perceived loopholes in security checks compared to other airports.

Sources revealed that marijuana is available at much lower prices in Bangkok and Malaysia, prompting traffickers to exploit the price gap by smuggling it into India, where demand and prices are significantly higher. Once the contraband reaches Bhubaneswar, smugglers reportedly transport it via trains to various cities across the country.

The repeated seizures highlight the growing challenge of international drug trafficking networks exploiting Indian airports. Enforcement agencies are tightening surveillance and intensifying investigations to dismantle these syndicates.