Ganja worth Rs 17cr seized in 24 hours in Malkangiri, 3 held

Koraput: Malkangiri police seized cannabis worth nearly Rs 17 crore within 24 hours from three separate locations in the district and arrested three persons hailing from Uttar Pradesh in connection with the case.Police said a total of 1,660 kg of ganja was recovered during a series of coordinated raids carried out on Wednesday.Acting on specific intelligence, Balimela police intercepted a container truck and seized 770 kg of ganja that had been concealed inside. “Three accused, all residents of UP, were apprehended,” said SP (Malkangiri) Vinod Patil.In two other operations, 640 kg of ganja was seized from Chitrakonda and 250 kg from Kalimela.

In the latter case, the contraband had been hidden in forest areas for smuggling purposes, but the traffickers managed to flee before cops arrived.“Our crackdown on illegal ganja trafficking will continue and will be intensified in the coming days,” the SP said.According to police data, 22,153 kg of ganja was seized in 2024 from the district, leading to the arrest of 147 people and seizure of 60 vehicles. In 2025 so far, police have seized 28,897 kg of ganja, registered 109 cases, arrested 96 people, and confiscated 44 vehicles.

Local observers said that despite a significant fall in Maoist activity in recent times, ganja cultivation persists in remote and inaccessible areas of the district.“During the Maoist era, ganja cultivation became a major source of income. Even after the decline of Maoist influence, the practice continues in interior areas. Providing alternative livelihoods and apprehending the key traffickers are crucial to end the trade,” said senior advocate Ram Prasad Patnaik of Malkangiri.DIG (south-western range) Kanwar Vishal Singh said that police are determined to completely eliminate ganja cultivation and trafficking through sustained and coordinated operations.“Our special drive against ganja cultivation and its illegal trafficking has been intensified in Koraput, Rayagada and Malkangiri districts. We have adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards the ganja trade,” he added.