Balangir: Police seized around 4 quintal of ganja while being smuggled along with household articles in a pick-up van in Odisha’s Balangir district on Monday.
On a tip-off that the contraband was being smuggled in the van, a police team intercepted the van on the national highway. On checking the vehicle, they found several heavy tin boxes along with household materials including cyclone, furniture and others.
On opening the boxes, the police team found several ganja packets weighing around 4 quintal. The police detained the van driver, identified as Om Prakash.
During questioning, Prakash, who is also owner of the van, told the police that he was not aware that ganja was kept in the boxes. He was hired to transport the household articles from Chhattisgarh to Rayagada in Odisha.
It may be noted that a special team of Excise officials had seized four quintal of ganja and arrested two persons in Ganjam district on Sunday.