DRI Nagpur busts interstate drug syndicate, 522kg ganja of Rs 2.61 crore seized in highway bust

Nagpur: A well-organised inter-state drug syndicate operating along Odisha-Central India corridor was dismantled on Friday by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Nagpur, with a seizure of 522kg of high-quality cannabis (ganja) valued at Rs 2.61 crore in the global market. Two key operatives were arrested.DRI teams intercepted a heavy-duty 16-tonne truck en route from the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border towards Maharashtra at Mathni toll plaza near Mouda on NH53. A thorough search unearthed eight polythene bags containing 247 meticulously wrapped packages of ganja.The contraband was ingeniously concealed in multiple secret compartments behind the driver's seat. DRI personnel dug out the packets from a cavity above the driver and passenger seats, from a locked toolbox beneath the cargo area, and on top of the driver's cabin. Each package was tightly wrapped in plastic tape to evade detection. DRI also seized the truck, valued at Rs 8.5 lakh, under provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985. The two accused are being interrogated to uncover the drug network.This operation comes on the heels of two successful actions by the DRI unit earlier this year, in which more than 1,250kg ganja of Rs 6.25 crore was seized and four people, including the mastermind, arrested. The latest strike highlights the syndicate's persistence and DRI's relentless surveillance and intelligence capabilities. "These coordinated actions are sending a strong message to organised narcotics networks operating across state borders," an officer said.