Kandhamal: In a major crackdown, a team of Baliguda police personnel Wednesday afternoon arrested three persons including a home guard for allegedly smuggling cannabis in Kandhamal.
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Later, the three arrested were forwarded to a local court. Police also seized the car which was being used to transport the ganja.
According to sources, the home guard was identified as Khirod Kumar Sahoo of Salepur area in Cuttack district. The two others were identified as Purna Chandra Mallik of Balisuga village and Sashi Mallik of Madinata area under Baliguda block in the district.
The three smugglers were travelling in a ganja-laden car. The police intercepted them at Baliguda during routine patrolling. After conducting a thorough search, the police recovered 40.7 kilograms of cannabis from their possession kept in two large gunny bags.
Notably, Malkangiri police had seized 14.11 quintal of cannabis and arrested eight persons including a home guard of MV-79 police station, February 8. The ganja was being transported in a truck to neighbouring Bihar via Malkangiri district. The market value of the seized cannabis was estimated to be over Rs 1 crore.
PNN