Mahasamund (Chhattisgarh), May 2 (IANS) Four people, including two alleged interstate traffickers, have been arrested following the seizure of 10.270 kg of cannabis (Ganja) valued at Rs 2 lakh in a joint operation carried out by the Anti-Narcotics Task Force and police in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district, officials said on Saturday.

The arrested are two couples — Shankar Behera (45), a resident of Saraipali, his wife Chanchal Behera (30), Kapil Bakul (23), a resident of Odisha’s Boudh district, and his wife Rashmi Bakul (20).

Authorities also seized assets worth Rs 3.15 lakh, which include two vehicles used for transporting the contraband and two mobile phones believed to have been used in coordinating the operation.

According to officials, the accused had allegedly sourced the cannabis from Odisha and were planning to distribute it in the Devalbhata area of Saraipali. The plan involved repackaging the contraband into smaller packets for retail sale. The consignment, intended for local consumption within the Mahasamund district, was intercepted before it could be circulated in the market.

Investigators said a husband-and-wife pair among the accused attempted to evade suspicion by posing as a family travelling together, but their movements drew attention during surveillance.

Officials further revealed that in the past three months alone, a total of 5,779.831 kg (57 quintals, 79 kg) of cannabis has been seized in 81 separate cases, with 213 individuals arrested. Of those apprehended, 53 are from Chhattisgarh, while 160 belong to other states, indicating the scale of interstate trafficking networks.

The Anti-Narcotics Task Force has been directed to undertake strict and lawful action against the smuggling, transportation and sale of illicit cannabis, along with conducting “end-to-end” and financial investigations into such operations. Acting on these directives, district police have intensified checking drives and surveillance across the region.

Detailing the operation, officials said that on April 30, police received a tip-off that individuals arriving from Odisha were planning to engage in illegal trade of cannabis with a local contact. Acting on this information, a police team was deployed near Arjunda village under the jurisdiction of Saraipali police station.

Shortly thereafter, one individual approached from the Padampur Road side on an HF Deluxe motorcycle, with a woman riding pillion, and reached the designated spot near Arjunda village.

“A short while later, another individual arrived from Padampur Road on a Hero Glamour motorcycle (Registration No. CG 04 L 1778), carrying a sack of goods placed between himself and a woman seated behind him. He handed over the sack containing the goods to the individual who had arrived earlier and began to leave,” officials said.

The police team cordoned off the area and apprehended them. Upon examining the contents of the plastic sack found in their possession, it was discovered to contain 10 kilograms and 270 grams of the illicit narcotic substance ‘Ganja’ (cannabis), valued at Rs 2,00,000.

The illicit Ganja was seized, and a case was registered against the accused under Section 20(B) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Authorities said further investigation is underway to trace other links in the trafficking network.

–IANS

sd/uk