Bhubaneswar: The Government Railway Police (GRP) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) seized approximately 17.5 kg of ganja that was cleverly concealed inside plastic cricket bats and school bags.

Two persons were arrested in Berhampur on Monday while trying to smuggle ganja in cricket bats.

The two accused are residents of Murshidabad district in West Bengal and were on way to Kerala by train. The ganja was stuffed into the hollow interiors of 10 plastic cricket bats and also within the linings of 23 school backpacks, which were then stitched back to appear normal.

Both of them have been arrested under relevant sections of the NDPS Act. Samples have been drawn for chemical examination and further investigation is underway to identify the source, network and intended receivers of the contraband, police said.