300 kgs cannabis seized in Chhattisgarh, three held

Raipur:Three hundred kilograms of cannabis, worth Rs 15 lakh, was seized and three persons were arrested in this connection in Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh, a police official said Sunday.

The action was taken on Saturday evening based on a tip-off, police said.

"There was information that the contraband was being transported to Raipur from Odisha via Mahasamund through National Highway(NH)-53. After getting the information, local police swung into action," Mahasamund Superintendent of Police Santosh Singh told PTI.

A goods pick-up vehicle was intercepted during the checking of vehicles in front of Singhoda police station and 300 packets of cannabis, each one weighing 1 kg, were seized from it. Later, its driver and his two associates were arrested, he said.

"The cannabis was packed in plastic bags that were concealed under the containers used in carrying vegetables in the vehicle," he added.

Those arrested were identified as Karan Lahre (21), the driver, who is from Basna area of Mahasamund, Jaisingh Satnami (33) of Bargarh in Odisha, and Ramlal Verma (29) of Raipur, he said.

Three mobile phones, cash worth Rs 2,900 and the vehicle have also been seized from their possession, he added.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that the cannabis worth Rs 15 lakh, was being transported to Raipur for its supply to various places in the state capital, he said.

A case has been registered in this connection, Singh said.