Mahasamund (Chhattisgarh), Aug 27 (IANS) Four alleged drug traffickers were arrested in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district after police seized 170.75 kg of ganja valued at around Rs 85 lakh, which had been concealed beneath broken glass and waste in a mini truck, officials said on Thursday.
Acting on specific intelligence, Mahasamund police intercepted the suspicious mini truck near Maharaja Dhaba in Birkoni on National Highway 353 on Wednesday. At first glance, the vehicle appeared to be carrying broken glass and waste, said the police. However, a detailed search led to the recovery of 170.75 kg of ganja concealed underneath the material.
Police said the accused had allegedly adopted the unusual method to evade checking and make the consignment appear to be ordinary waste.
According to police, the mini truck was being driven by Ankit Kumar Yadav, 25, a resident of Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh. During interrogation, he allegedly revealed that three other associates were following the truck in a Swift car.
Police subsequently intercepted the car and arrested Santosh Gupta, 60, of Bhadohi, Avinash Singh, 43, of Varanasi, and Shyam Prakash Soni, 37, also of Varanasi.
According to police, the accused were allegedly transporting the ganja from Boudhgarh in Odisha to Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh for supply.
The police seized the ganja along with the mini truck valued at Rs 10 lakh, the Swift car valued at Rs 2 lakh, a Nokia keypad mobile phone, and Rs 3,670 in cash. The total value of the seized property, including the contraband, was estimated at Rs 97.03 lakh.
A case has been registered at Mahasamund police station under Section 20(b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Further legal proceedings are underway. Police said the operation was carried out following precise intelligence and through swift and coordinated action by the Mahasamund police.
–IANS
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