In a dramatic bust, excise officials in Balangir district foiled an interstate ganja smuggling attempt after traffickers disguised themselves as milk vendors.
Acting on a tip‑off, Tusura excise staff and the mobile unit intercepted two motorcycles near Kukurkhai Chhak under Deogaon police limits. To their surprise, officers found four milk jars stuffed with ganja weighing 44 kg, valued at over Rs 4 lakh.
Three youths from Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh — Mohit Vaishnav, Suraj Mahan, and Raju Bansal — were arrested. Officials said the accused had adopted the unusual method of hiding ganja in milk containers to evade detection.
Investigators also seized 10 number plates from different districts, allegedly used to disguise vehicles during cross‑border smuggling. Authorities suspect a larger interstate racket and are probing the source of the contraband, its intended destination, and other possible links.
The arrested trio has been remanded to judicial custody after their bail plea was rejected. Two motorcycles used in the operation were also confiscated.
Officials described the method as a new challenge for enforcement agencies, underscoring the evolving tactics of traffickers. Further investigation is expected to reveal more details about the network behind the smuggling.
