Chhattisgarh: Six interstate drug traffickers held; 88 kg of cannabis worth Rs 44 lakh seized

Mahasamund (Chhattisgarh): In a major crackdown on interstate drug trafficking, Mahasamund Police in Chhattisgarh have arrested six persons from Maharashtra and seized 88 kilograms of cannabis (ganja) worth approximately Rs 44 lakh.

The action was carried out jointly by the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and Patewa Police under Operation Nishchay.

According to the police, the total value of the seized property, including the contraband, vehicles, cash and mobile phones, stands at Rs 53.73 lakh.

The operation was launched following specific intelligence inputs that cannabis was being transported in a pickup vehicle, escorted by a Maruti Swift Dzire car. Acting on the information, police established a blockade on National Highway 53 in front of Patewa Police Station.

The Swift Dzire, bearing registration number MH-46 X-5682, was intercepted first. Three occupants were questioned, but no contraband was found in the car. Shortly afterwards, police stopped the suspected white pickup vehicle bearing registration number MH-21 BH-9873. During its search, officers recovered 88 kilograms of cannabis packed in three plastic sacks.

Police said the consignment had allegedly been brought from Katamal in Odisha's Bargarh district and was being transported to Maharashtra for distribution.

The six accused have been identified as Siddharth Dandey, Sachin Madan Sonawani, Badrinath Prahlad Khurmute, Shankar Tukaram Dige, Vishal Santosh Khade and Deepak Kharse. All are residents of Maharashtra. Three were allegedly transporting the cannabis, while the remaining three were travelling in the escort vehicle.

Apart from the cannabis, police seized the pickup vehicle worth Rs 5 lakh, the Swift Dzire worth Rs 4 lakh, Rs 28,600 in cash and seven mobile phones valued at Rs 45,000.

A case has been registered under Sections 20(b) and 29(1) of the NDPS Act at Patewa Police Station (Crime No. 210/2026). The accused have been sent to judicial custody.

Police said further investigation is underway to establish the source, destination and financial links of the interstate trafficking network.

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