By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Continuing its sustained drive against illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropicsubstances, the Special Task Force (STF), Odisha, achieved another major success by seizing acommercial quantity of cannabis (ganja) and apprehending three traffickers involved in interstatetransportation of contraband.
On 05.06.2026, STF, Odisha received a specific and reliable intelligence input that a large
quantity of cannabis (ganja) was being transported from Kandhamal district of Odisha to West Bengal in a Maruti Ciaz car. Acting swiftly on the information, a special team of STF was constituted and deployed for interception of the suspected vehicle.
After careful surveillance and strategic positioning, the STF team successfully intercepted the vehicle near Gangapada under Infovalley Police Station, Khurda. The interception was made on a kacha road passing through a cashew plantation area, situated approximately 1.5 kilometres west of National Highway-16.
Upon search of the vehicle in the presence of independent witnesses and following due legal procedure, the STF team recovered and seized the following articles:
Seized Articles
1. Cannabis (Ganja) – 1.29 Quintals
2. One Maruti Ciaz Car bearing Registration No. OD-02-AK-4259
3. One OPPO Mobile Phone
The following persons were apprehended from the spot:
1. Ranjit Digal (45 years), S/o Siba Digal, At- Arapaju, PS Phulbani Town, Dist- Kandhamal
2. Arun Kumar Sethy (34 years)
S/o Abhimanyu Sethy, At- FCI Chowk, Phulbani, PS- Phulbani, Dist- Kandhamal
3. Durbas Kanhar (45 years) S/o Bhuleswar Kanhar At- Baikumpa
PS- Khajuripada, Dist- Kandhamal
Preliminary investigation indicates that the accused persons were engaged in interstate
trafficking of cannabis. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of procurement, intended destination, financial transactions involved, and the role of other members of the trafficking network. Efforts are also being made to establish the backward and forward linkages of the syndicateand identify other persons associated with the illegal trade.
In this connection, STF P.S. Case No. 10 dated 05.06.2026 has been registered under Sections 20(b)(ii)(C)/25/29 of the NDPS Act, 1985, and investigation is in progress.
The accused persons are being forwarded to the Court of the learned jurisdictional Magistrate on 06.06.2026.
This operation is part of the ongoing #NashaMuktOdisba Abhijan and reflects the unwavering commitment of STF, Odisha towards combating the menace of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
