Ganja smuggling chain from Kandhamal to West Bengal via Khordha; STF eyes to bust network

It is now a well-known fact that ganja (dry cannabis) from Kandhamal is being smuggled to different parts of the country, including West Bengal and other states via different routes. Khordha is one of the transit points in the ganja smuggling racket.

This was again evident after a team of the Special Task Force (STF) on Wednesday arrested three persons from Kandhamal district on the charges of ganja peddling.

The accused have been identified as Akshay Kumar Bindhani, Kukuna Behera and Bikram Kumar Behera. The STF team seized over 100 kg of ganja from their possession when they were transporting the contraband in a car.

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The STF team conducted a raid near Maa Lata Bhuasuni Temple on Khordha-Chandaka road under Infovally Police Station in Khordha on Tuesday evening based on an intelligence input.

Rabi Satpathy, a senior STF official informed that a detailed investigation has started to identify those involved in the ganja smuggling racket. The focus is on the place of procurement, disposal and selling points.

“A dedicated team is working and soon we will identify the mastermind, whether in Odisha and outside,” Satpathy added.