In a major anti-narcotics operation, sleuths from the Intelligence and Enforcement Bureau of the Excise Department (Berhampur) arrested six persons at Balisira in Ganjam district on Sunday for allegedly transporting 50 kg of ganja from Kandhamal to Bhubaneswar.
The accused have been identified as:
Dushasan Mallick (19) – Pokharibandh
Jitendra Mallick (26) – Midiakia
Satyanarayan Mallick (23) – Barkhama
Samuel Digal (38) – Sitapadi
Prakash Mallick (19) – Lelisikia
Ajit Kumar Digal (35)
According to Srutikant Rout, DSP of the Intelligence and Enforcement Bureau, the accused were using a car to transport the ganja while two of them led the route on motorcycles.
Seized items include:
50 kg ganja
A car and two motorcycles
Five mobile phones
The total value of the seized materials is estimated at Rs30 lakh.
Authorities are currently investigating if the group has been involved in past narcotics trafficking cases. “Their attempt to smuggle the ganja to other states has been thwarted,” added Rout.
In a separate incident on Thursday, six more accused — including individuals from West Bengal, Bihar, and Kandhamal — were caught transporting 55 kg of ganja. Seizures in that case included three cars, a two-wheeler, eight phones, with a total value of around Rs35 lakh.
Additionally, over 120 personnel conducted joint raids across five areas under Jarada police station limits, destroying:
25,000 litres of molasses
840 litres of illicit country-made liquor
Estimated value: Rs15 lakh
