Police seized about fifteen quintal of hemp worth Rs 50 lakh from a truck at Chilkili on the Nabarangpur-Papadahandi National Highway-26 on Wednesday. Inspector in-charge of Nawarangpur police station Rasmi Ranjan Pradhhan said that while a truck with registration no AP 05 TB 8449 crossed Nawarangpur, the police on suspicion chased it near Chikili Bridge where the vehicle was abandoned.
Police found ganja packed in small packets stuffed into fish containers weighting 35 kg each. Police arrested two accused persons. They have been identified as Driver Madhab Khantal, and helper Dambru Suna Basia.
The consignment was being sent to different places in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh via Nabarangpur, he said, adding that the seized cannabis weighing 15 quintal was valued at around `fifty lakh. A case has been registered and investigation is underway said IIC of town police.
The tribal pockets of the district bordering Chhattisgarh are emerging as major transit points for ganga smugglers. The illicit narcotic was allegedly being transported from Maoist-affected cut off area of Chitrakonda reservoir to Nabarangpur district so that it could be transported outside the State.