Two Inter-State Drug Smugglers Arrested as Police Nab 552 kg Marijuana

Authorities in Jashpur announced the arrest of two alleged drug traffickers on July 15, following a joint operation that recovered more than half a tonne of marijuana. The suspects, Sachindra Rout and Mohammad Sameer, both hailing from Sundargarh district of Odisha, were detained after a rapid pursuit involving three seized automobiles.

The operation, supervised by senior police officials including the IG of Sarguja range and the SSP of Jashpur, was informed by a tip-off from the MCB police. Teams conducted simultaneous searches in the Kunakuri and Bagicha circles, retrieving 311 kg of cannabis from an Innova and 240 kg from a Breeze. A third vehicle, an Artega, was impounded as well.

While the two men are now in police custody, two other alleged participants fled the scene and took refuge in the dense forest surrounding the district. A dedicated search team has been deployed to locate them, and officers are combing nearby villages and forest trails.

All seized contraband and vehicles have been logged as evidence under the NDPS Act. Investigators are now focusing on dismantling the broader smuggling chain, tracing the source of the drugs, and uncovering any financial links that support the operation.