Malkangiri: Ganja valued at around Rs 1.5 crore was seized and three persons were arrested in Malkangiri district Thursday while trying to smuggle the contraband to Chhattisgarh in an oil tanker.
Acting on a tip-off, a police team stopped the oil tanker and caught its driver and two others near Bhejaguda on Malkangiri-Sukuma road.
Around 100 sacks containing about 15 quintals of ganja packed in a novel manner were recovered after the police team checked the oil tanker bearing registration number of Gujarat, the police said.
The value of the seized contraband was estimated at around Rs 1.5 crore, the police said, adding the driver and his two associates were trying to run away from the spot but the police personnel overpowered them.
While the driver was a resident of Jeypore town in Koraput district, the other two happened to be locals, the police said, adding further investigation was on. PNN