C'garh: Cannabis worth over Rs 2.25 cr seized; five held

Raipur: In a major drug haul, the Chhattisgarh police recovered cannabis worth more than Rs 2.25 crore and arrested five persons in Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district on Saturday, police said. Based on a tip-off, a team from the Gaurela police station intercepted a truck and two cars in the forest between Banjhorka and Jogisar, GPM Superintendent of police Trilok Bansal said.

“The GPM police arrested five members of an interstate gang involved in smuggling and peddling cannabis and seized 1,505 kg of the contraband, valued at over Rs 2.25 crore,” the official said, adding that this was biggest narcotics seizure carried out by the police in the district. The police have also seized the truck and two cars used by the accused, he said.

The accused Darshan Singh (49), Baisakhu Barik (62), Anand Salma (28), are natives of Odisha, while Upendra Pasi (28) hailed from Bihar and Ramesh Rathore (36) was a local, the SP said, adding that two members of the gang managed to flee. The accused had allegedly procured the contraband from Odisha and concealed it under sacks of potatoes, the official said. An offence under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered in the matter, he added.