In a major breakthrough against interstate drug trafficking, Nagpur police seized a consignment of high-quality cannabis concealed under steel coils from a truck on the Nagpur-Hyderabad highway corridor early Tuesday. The operation, carried out after 48 hours of surveillance covering 200 kilometers, led to the dismantling of a drug syndicate operating between Odisha, Maharashtra, and Goa.
Details of the Seizure
The police confiscated at least 150 kilograms of cannabis valued at approximately Rs 38 lakh. The contraband was hidden under steel coils in a truck that was originally scheduled to transport steel coils from Bhubaneshwar to Vapi in Gujarat. However, the truckers deviated from their route, traveling to Sambalpur to load the cannabis before heading toward Mumbai.
The operation was led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Deepak Aggarwal, who acted on intelligence inputs from the crime branch. A trap was laid near Joginder Singh Dhaba at Pardi around 4:30 am on Tuesday. The suspicious Odisha-registered truck was blocked with strategic barricades, leaving the accused with no escape.
Arrests and Seizures
The two accused, identified as Jogesh Devuri (30) and Mahendra Devuri (40), both residents of Odisha, were arrested at the scene. In addition to the cannabis, police seized 29.7 metric tons of steel coils valued at Rs 72 lakh, along with two mobile phones. The total value of the seizure is estimated at Rs 1.5 crore.
Preliminary interrogation revealed a clinical modus operandi. The accused had picked up the steel coils for delivery to a reputed corporate company in Vapi. They then moved to Sambalpur to load the cannabis consignment before driving toward Mumbai. The contraband was intended for supply to Mumbai and Goa.
Investigation and Syndicate Links
The accused have named key accomplices, including Babaji Behera from Tirsuriya in Cuttack district and Vishnu Pradhan from Dakwamunda, Odisha, who allegedly helped procure and transport the drugs. A case has been registered at Pardi police station under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Police are now working to trace the remaining syndicate members and the end-receivers in Mumbai and other locations.
Officials noted that Nagpur's strategic location on major highways makes it a vulnerable transit point for drug traffickers targeting western India, including the bustling markets of Mumbai and tourist hotspots of Goa. The successful operation highlights the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing in curbing the drug trade.
