Malkangiri police achieved a major breakthrough by seizing a container truck carrying ganja worth more than Rs 1 crore near Nuaguda village under Orkel police limits.
Officers intercepted the vehicle during patrol and discovered a specially built chamber inside the truck packed with 29 sacks of ganja.
The truck, bearing registration number RJ-14GR-8368, was reportedly transporting the contraband from Andhra Pradesh toward Rajasthan. Police arrested the driver, Manoj Kumar of Churu district, and the helper, Hemraj of Sikar district, both from Rajasthan.
Officials confirmed that the seized ganja weighed 8 quintals and 70 kilograms. The contraband was confiscated in the presence of magistrate Prashant Kumar Bhatra, who supervised the weighing process at Orkel police station.
According to police sources, Orkel IIC Dhiren Pattnayak received a tip-off about the smuggling operation. Acting on his instructions, SI Harpriya Sabar led a special team that intercepted the truck around 10 a.m. on Sunday. The vehicle had earlier unloaded goods in Tuni, Andhra Pradesh, before loading ganja near Nuaguda for transport to Rajasthan.
Police registered a case under Orkel PS Case No. 66/2026 and launched a detailed investigation. SI Ajit Singh Bariha is leading the probe to trace the wider network behind the smuggling.
