The excise department's Berhampur division arrested four individuals from West Bengal on Monday, seizing approximately 135 kilograms of ganja being transported in two cars near Hinjili in Ganjam district. The contraband, along with the vehicles and seven mobile phones, was confiscated from the accused: drivers Rajesh Sarkar (21) and Sajal Sarkar (27), as well as Saif Mohd Sayeed (35) and Asif Iqbal (32), all residents of Raninagar area in Murshidabad district, according to Srutikant Rout, deputy superintendent of the intelligence and enforcement bureau of excise. The estimated value of the seized ganja and vehicles is around Rs 67 lakh, Rout added.
The accused were allegedly transporting the ganja from Kandhamal district to West Bengal via Berhampur when the excise team intercepted them. Authorities are investigating the possible involvement of others in the drug smuggling network, Rout stated.
In a separate incident, a 36-year-old man was arrested for illegal possession of 6.69 grams of brown sugar, valued at approximately Rs 70,000, police reported. Acting on a tip-off, a police team caught Santosh Patra of Haradakhandi area red-handed as he was attempting to sell the narcotic substance in Gosaninuagaon. "We are investigating to trace the supply chain of these narcotics," said SP (Berhampur) Saravana Vivek M.
