Ganja smugglers’ bid to outsmart the authorities was foiled by the officials of the Excise department after they seized marijuana weighing about one quintal from a car that had signs used by doctors in Sambalpur district on Thursday. Three smugglers were arrested.
During a check, the Excise department officials stopped a car bearing Uttar Pradesh registration number at Gunderpur on Sambalpur-Sonepur National Highway-15. The smugglers had pasted stickers used by doctors to avoid detention en route. There were three occupants in the car.
Finding their behaviour suspicious, the officials carried out a thorough search and found the contraband weighing around one quintal stashed in 50 packets. The packets were similar to saree packets.
They arrested three persons in connection with the matter.
The initial investigation revealed that the ganja packets were procured from Similiguda area in Koraput district and were being transported to different cities of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
When asked, the Superintendent of the Excise department said, “Keeping the approaching festive season in view, we have intensified checking.
Today, a team led by inspector Sashikanta Dutta stopped a car at Gunderpur. Since their behaviour was suspicious, the car was searched and the ganja packets were found. The estimated price of the seized contraband is around Rs 17 lakh. They had used the stickers used by doctors to hoodwink us.”