Bhubaneswar, (Orissa Today), May 27: In a significant crackdown, Sonepur police arrested two individuals, identified as Bijay Gowel and Binod Majhi from Madhya Pradesh, for their involvement in smuggling marijuana weighing 3.75 quintals. The operation unfolded during a raid conducted on Monday.
The accused were allegedly transporting ganja concealed within an iron rod-laden truck. Acting on a tip-off, Sonepur police intercepted the vehicle at Police Kunj Square and seized the contraband.
Upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to ferrying the illegal substance to Madhya Pradesh.
The seizure comes amidst a surge in efforts by Odisha Police to curb drug trafficking. Officials reported a record seizure of 494 quintals of ganja and the arrest of 529 peddlers in 425 cases during the first quarter of 2024, spanning from January 1 to March 31.
Notably, the apprehended traffickers include numerous inter-state kingpins and masterminds hailing from Maharashtra, Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha.
In the previous year, Odisha Police achieved a milestone by seizing 1,850 quintals of ganja and apprehending over 1,600 peddlers, marking the highest contraband seizure in a single year in the past five years. The 2023 seizure marked a substantial increase of 37 percent compared to 2022.
This accomplishment is believed to be the highest seizure by any state in the country in 2023, highlighting the state’s proactive stance against drug trafficking.
