A special squad of the Commissionerate police on Wednesday seized over one quintal ganja from a car near Tamando and arrested three persons for illegal transportation of the contraband.
The approximate market value of the seized contraband was estimated to be Rs 5 lakh. The ganja was being smuggled from Phulbani in Khandamal district to Saliasahi in the city. According to reports, the special squad, acting on a tipoff, intercepted the car at Tamando on the city outskirts. During the search, ganja was found stacked in gunny bags in the dickey of the car.
Earlier on July 10, the Special Task Force (STF) of Crime Branch had seized ganja worth around Rs 10 lakh from a car near the Khandagiri Square here. Three persons, including the driver were arrested in this connection. Notably, the capital city is fast turning into a bustling hub for narcotics trade like ganja and brown sugar. This is proved from the several instances of the huge consignment of contraband being seized by the police and Excise Department officials.
A major concern is the growing drug dependency and the educational institutions, are without doubt, the favourite places where illicit drugs are sold, shared and consumed. If the drug supply chain is not disrupted soon, the city will soon turn into a ‘narcopolis’ of mega or mini kind, opine knowledgeable sources.