Bhubaneswar: In a significant crackdown on drug trafficking, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 808 kilograms of ganja, valued at over Rs 1.62 crore, while it was being smuggled to Bhubaneswar.

Acting on a tip-off, DRI officials intercepted a fruit truck at the Krishnavaram Toll Plaza on the Odisha-Andhra border. The contraband was cleverly concealed within the truck, which was destined for Bhubaneswar. The smugglers, traveling in a pilot vehicle, attempted to evade capture by ramming through the toll gate, but after an hour-long chase, they were apprehended by the authorities.

The three suspects, including the truck driver and two individuals in the pilot vehicle, have been taken into custody. They admitted to transporting the ganja illegally. The seized ganja, along with the two vehicles, has been confiscated under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The accused have been remanded to judicial custody for 12 days as further investigations are underway.