Nagpur: Bhandara police have seized nearly 200kg of high-quality ganja, valued at approximately Rs1 crore, which was supposed to be distributed in Nagpur, Amravati and Mumbai. The seizure has dealt a major blow to an emerging interstate drug syndicate operating from Odisha.The action was taken on the intervening night of July 26-27. Acting on a tip-off, a team from Sakoli police station, after alerting SP Bhandara Noorul Hasan, laid a trap at Sendurwafa Toll Plaza. They intercepted a truck, bearing West Bengal registration number, moving from Sambalpur in Odisha towards Nagpur.A thorough search revealed almost 200kg of cannabis concealed among a consignment of iron wires. The driver, Pankaj Kumar Bhushan Yadav (30), a native of Bihar, and the cleaner, Bapi Badal Malik (38), from West Bengal, were arrested. A case was registered against them at Sakoli police station.Preliminary investigation revealed that the duo had been regularly plying legitimate goods for several months. A conduit linked to the Sambalpur-based ganja mafia approached them at a dhaba with a promise of quick money.“The duo diverted the vehicle to a nearby forested area where the contraband was loaded. As per the plan, a local contact in Nagpur was supposed to take delivery of the contraband and distribute some portion locally. The rest was supposed to be delivered to Amravati and Mumbai, ” the SP said.Bhandara police officers said the seizure highlights a new trend where transporters are being lured into narcotics smuggling. “We are probing the larger network and more arrests are expected,” a senior officer said.Investigators are now mapping the full supply chain, including handlers in Nagpur’s distribution network, using technical surveillance and call data analysis to nab the accused.
