Malkangiri: In a significant blow to narcotics trafficking in southern Odisha, police seized around 1,250 kg of ganja from a forest area at Bejingwada under Kalimela police limits in Malkangiri district on Sunday.
According to police sources, the operation was launched following a tip-off about a large consignment dumped in the remote forested area. A special enforcement team conducted the raid and recovered the contraband of an estimated market value of over Rs 1 crore. “No arrests were made as no indiv
iduals were present at the location at the time of the raid,” Malkangiri SP Vinod Patil told the media.
Further investigation is underway to identify the smugglers, trace the source, and uncover any inter-state connections, he added.
This latest haul underscored the intensified, intelligence-led campaign by Malkangiri police to dismantle drug networks operating in the district. Malkangiri’s strategic location, bordering Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh,combined with its thick forests and inaccessible terrain, has long made it a hotspot for ganja cultivation and smuggling.
The district has seen a sharp uptick in enforcement success in recent years. In 2025, Malkangiri police seized around 31,000 kg of ganja, a substantial rise from approximately 23,000 kg in 2024. In November 2025, police under Chitrakonda limits made the state’s first-ever seizure of 60 kg of hashish oil, valued at several crores.