Raipur Police Bust Interstate Cannabis Network, Seize ₹24 Lakh Worth of Contraband; 5 Arrested
Raipur: The Raipur Commissionerate Police have busted an interstate cannabis smuggling network, arresting five accused, including two women, and seizing 46.1 kg of cannabis valued at approximately ₹24 lakh.
The operation was carried out jointly by the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and Tikrapara Police under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime & Cyber) Smritik Rajnala and Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Sandeep Kumar Patel.
Acting on a tip-off received on July 11, 2026, the ANTF learned that a consignment of cannabis was being delivered near Kamal Vihar. A joint police team laid a trap near the Nilgiri Plantation on Kamal Vihar Road. During the operation, two men and a woman attempted to flee on a scooter after spotting the police but were apprehended.
The arrested suspects were identified as Kamlesh Sonwani (36), Raja Tandan (36), and his wife Neetu Tandan (34), all residents of Pandri, Raipur. A search of their scooter led to the recovery of three gunny bags and one sack containing 46.1 kg of cannabis.
During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they had procured the contraband from two suppliers in Kalahandi district, Odisha. Acting on this information, police tracked down and arrested the suppliers, Banamali Tandi (23) and Anu Tandi (27), near the Raipur Railway Station. The duo confessed to transporting the cannabis from Odisha to Raipur for local distribution.
Police seized 46.1 kg of cannabis, two mobile phones, and one scooter during the operation. A case has been registered at Tikrapara Police Station under Section 20(B)ii(C) of the NDPS Act, and further investigation is underway.
Police officials also revealed that Kamlesh Sonwani has four previous cases under the NDPS Act registered in Raipur and Mahasamund, while Raja Tandan has an earlier NDPS case registered in Titlagarh, Odisha.
