Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police seized over 1.3 tonnes of ganja from two separate locations in Boudh district Wednesday, arresting four individuals involved in smuggling the contraband.
The operation also led to the recovery of five rounds of live bullets and a country-made firearm from the smugglers within the jurisdiction of Gthehantapada police station. According to police sources, the first seizure took place when officers intercepted Mithun Hathi, a known ganja peddler, and his associate, who were negotiating a deal near Ambajhari Gram Panchayat under Boudh police station limits.
Upon spotting the police, Mithun’s associate managed to flee the scene, but Mithun was apprehended. During a subsequent search, police found and seized 5.6 quintals of ganja, along with a motorcycle used for transporting the illegal goods.
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In the second operation, police arrested Uday Chandra Bhoi, Srikant Muduli, and Nilakantha Bhoi under Ghantapada police station limits. They were found to possess 7.4 quintals of ganja, which was also confiscated.
Along with the drugs, the police found firearms and live ammunition in their possession. Additionally, authorities seized five motorcycles and a pickup van, all of which were allegedly used in the drug trade. A senior police official confirmed that further investigations are underway to track down additional individuals connected to the smuggling network.
PNN