Chhattisgarh’s law enforcement dealt a heavy blow to an interstate cannabis cartel operating from Odisha. A joint team from the Anti-Narcotics Task Force and Saraiapali police station arrested four smugglers, two of whom were women, foiling plans to flood local markets with processed ganja.
The operation unfolded near Arjunda village following a tip-off about suspects transporting ganja from Odisha for sale in Saraiapali’s Dewalbhata area. Two motorcycles carrying pairs of men and women were intercepted. A search revealed 10 kg 270 grams of ganja stuffed in a sack, alongside vehicles and phones worth 3.15 lakh rupees.
Identified culprits include local residents Shankar Behera and his associate Chanchal Behera, plus Odisha natives Kapil Bakul and Rashmi Bakul. They planned to convert the haul into small pouches for discreet street-level sales.
Charges under NDPS Act Section 20(b) have been filed, marking another success in Mahasamund’s aggressive anti-drug drive. In the last quarter, 81 operations yielded 5779.831 kg of ganja and 213 arrests, highlighting the cross-border nature of the threat with most suspects hailing from outside the state.
Police vow to intensify surveillance and raids, sending a clear message to traffickers that no border will shield their illicit trade.
