Dhamtari Police Seize 54.97 kg Ganja, Arrest Three Maharashtra Residents in Major Drug Bust
Raipur | Dhamtari
In a significant crackdown on interstate drug trafficking, the Dhamtari Police on 4 May intercepted a luxury Renault Duster car at the Sankara check post and recovered 54.97 kg of ganja worth approximately ₹27.50 lakh. Three individuals from Maharashtra were arrested in the operation.
Acting on directives from the Dhamtari Superintendent of Police, police teams have intensified surveillance and strict checking of vehicles at key border points, especially in sensitive zones such as Borai, Kundai (Nabarangpur, Odisha) and Vishrampuri (Kondagaon) to curb narcotics smuggling networks.
During a routine inspection on Monday, the Sihawa police stopped a Renault Duster (MH 45 AD 9001) coming from Mainpur. On searching the vehicle, officers recovered 38 packets of ganja hidden in the boot.
The accused were identified as Amol Arun Odhekar (33), Tanish Gaikwad (19), and Rishikesh (23). During interrogation, they admitted to sourcing the contraband from Balangir, Odisha and transporting it to Nashik, Maharashtra for distribution.
Police seized the narcotics, the vehicle valued at ₹5 lakh, and four mobile phones, bringing the total seizure value to around ₹33.53 lakh. A case has been registered under Section 20(b) of the NDPS Act at the Sihawa police station, and all three accused have been sent to judicial custody.
This is the second major drug seizure in the region within two weeks. Earlier, on 20 April, a joint operation by police and forest officials had recovered 127 kg of ganja worth over ₹63 lakh at the same check post. Continuous border patrolling and intensified enforcement have reportedly disrupted the drug trafficking network operating in the area.
