Koraput: Malkangiri police seized five quintals of ganja and arrested nine people in this connection Sunday.
Mathili police while patrolling the Pangam area received credible information that some people were going towards Kaliguda side transporting massive quantities of ganja.
On receipt of the information Sunday morning, the police team immediately rushed towards the river bank of Pangam near Kaudiguda and noticed some people were moving towards Gariaguda along the river bank carrying loads on both sides of yokes.
When the police team intercepted them, they tried to escape. But the police chased them and apprehended nine peddlers. On searching their loads, the police found polythene bags packed with ganja. Police also searched the nearby area and found 16 more polythene bags that were tossed aside by the fleeing peddlers. Altogether 37 bags of ganja, totally weighing 546.945 kg, were seized from the spot.
On being interrogated, the accused disclosed that they were transporting the contraband from Chitrakonda to Nabarangpur for sale. When it was ascertained that it was an illegal operation, police immediately took up investigation and registered a case under NDPS Act at Mathili police station against all the nine. Meanwhile, the police have launched a manhunt for others involved in the narcotics trafficking.
Malkangiri SP Jagmohan Meena said the accused will be produced in the court of district judge- cum-special judge, Malkangiri. Further investigation is continuing, he added.
PNN