Berhampur: Excise officials on Thursday seized 160 kg of ganja and arrested three persons for transporting the contraband in city of Ganjam district.
Shantanu Kumar Nayak, Deputy Commissioner of Excise Department here said after getting a tip off about two suspected ganja peddler, he sent an inspector and other staff for patrolling at Lanjipalli. They stopped a mini truck at the check post but its occupants had an argument with the officials.
Following search of the vehicle, around 160 kg of ganja was found in hidden compartments. The ganja was procured from R Udaygiri in Gajapati district and transported to Athagarh in Cuttack.
The truck had a fake registration number. Though it had an Odisha registration number plate, the vehicle belonged to Jharkhand.
“The drug peddlers have become cautious due to pro-active steps against them. They are avoiding transport of ganja in buses and using small private vehicles instead,” said Nayak.