Koraput: In a major crackdown on illegal narcotics trade, over 700 kilograms of Ganja (dry cannabis) has been seized following raids by Lamtaput and Padua police in Koraput district in the past 24 hours.
The market price of the seized narcotics is said to be around Rs 70 lakh.
As per reports, two teams led by Koraput SDPO Sanjay Mohapatra were constituted and raids were conducted at different parts of the district.
Sources said that the police team intercepted a pickup van and a SUV engaged in the transportation of the Ganja to Jeypore from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Both the vehicles were stopped for checking at Changudipada chhak under Lamtaput police limits last night.
However, all the four occupants in both the vehicles managed to give the cops a slip. Around 480 kilograms of Ganja was seized from both the vehicles, police said.
In another incident, Padua police also seized around 236 kilograms of Ganja during patrolling last night. The narcotics substance was seized from a mini truck which was on its way to Andhra Pradesh.
Preliminary investigation reveals that bulk of the Ganja consignment from Odisha was supposed to be trafficked to several parts of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.