NH 53 Ganja Bust in Chhattisgarh: Six Maharashtra Men Arrested

A joint operation on National Highway 53 in Chhattisgarh's Mahasamund district has led to the arrest of six men from Maharashtra and the recovery of 88 kilograms of ganja worth around Rs 44 lakh.

The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and Pateva police carried out the operation together under Operation Nishchay.

Police have estimated the total value of the seized items, including drugs, vehicles, cash and phones, at Rs 53.73 lakh.

The operation began after police received specific inputs that ganja was being carried in a white pickup, accompanied by a Maruti Swift Dzire. A blockade was then set up on NH 53 near the Pateva police station.

Officers first stopped a Swift Dzire and questioned the three people inside, but nothing illegal was found in the car. A short while later, police stopped a suspected white pickup. A search revealed 88 kilograms of ganja packed in three plastic sacks.

Police said the drugs were allegedly brought from Katamal in Bargarh district of Odisha and were being taken to Maharashtra for distribution.

The six accused have been identified as Siddharth Dande, Sachin Madan Sonawani, Badrinath Prahlad Khurmute, Shankar Tukaram Dige, Vishal Santosh Khade and Deepak Kharse. All are residents of Maharashtra. Three were allegedly carrying the ganja, while the other three were travelling in the escort vehicle.

In addition to the contraband, police confiscated a pickup worth Rs 5 lakh, a Swift Dzire worth Rs 4 lakh, Rs 28,600 in cash and seven mobile phones valued at Rs 45,000.

The case has been registered at Pateva police station under Sections 20(b) and 29(1) of the NDPS Act (Crime No. 210/2026), and the accused have been sent to judicial custody.

Police said further probe is on to uncover the source, destination and financial links of the interstate drug network.