The Gochapada police in Kandhamal district arrested six persons on the charge of carrying contraband ganja at the Bunduli chhak on Monday. They were identified as Bhagaban Sahu and Bhagat Manahira of Rundimahul, Pramod Barik of Chalkaguda, Birakishore Dwari of Chanbati, Asis Pradhan of Birmaharajpur and Pankaj Prusty of Paireju.
The police also seized two quintals of ganja worth Rs 10 lakh, a Bolero and bikes from them. In a similar incident, the Phiringia police also arrested one Gobinda Nayak of Boudh and seized an Indigo car and 50 kg ganja worth Rs 2 lakh from him. Two others, however, managed to flee from the sport.
In yet another raid, the police also arrested two persons identified as Suka Parida and Kishore Barik of Nayagarh and seized a bike and 21 kg ganja worth Rs 1 lakh.
All the arrested were forwarded to court in the evening. These marathon raids were conducted only after the visit of DGP Sanjeev Marik to the district. During his last visit in December, Marik had said that police would strongly act on ganja traders. Even though the harvesting period has elapsed, the police had remained silent. Youths undertake ganja cultivation as the produce fetch much money. The inter-State rackets are active in Phiringia, Sadar and Gochapada PS areas, according to sources.