Balasore: A team of special task force (STF) of Odisha Crime Branch raided a truck near Mathani Chhack on NH-60 in Basta area of Balasore district Friday afternoon and seized 990.6 kilogram of cannabis from the vehicle which was on its way to West Bengal from Balasore.
According to an official, the raid was carried out by STF team based on a tip-off received from a reliable source that the contraband was being transported to a location outside the state.
Swinging into action, the team intercepted a ten-wheeler truck loaded with cannabis and apprehended a person named Pravat Kumar Sahu, son of Kailash Chandra Sahu from Kantapada area under Kodala police limits in Ganjam district.
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During the search, the seized cannabis was found concealed in a secret chamber of the truck. The accused could not produce any valid document in support of possessing the contraband following which he was arrested.
Pravat was forwarded to District and Sessions Court in Balasore. A case was registered in this connection by the STF.
A detailed probe is still underway, STF officials said.
Notably, in its special drive against narcotic drugs being carried out for the last one year, the STF has seized more than 36 kilogram of brown sugar and heroin apart from more than 84.28 quintal of cannabis.
The STF has arrested around 100 drug peddlers and mafia so far.
PNN