Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Excise Mobile Unit, in coordination with the Railway Protection Force (RPF), arrested two Uttar Pradesh residents and seized 30.220 kg of ganja during a narcotics check at Bhubaneswar Railway Station Sunday.
The arrested persons were identified as Ajab Singh, 29, and Upendra Singh, 23, both residents of Sahiapur in Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj district.
Police said they had recently been residing in Delhi.
According to Excise officials, the joint team was conducting checks to curb the transportation of narcotic substances through the railway station when it intercepted the duo and recovered the ganja from their possession.
The seizure was made during intensified surveillance and checking of passengers and baggage at the railway station as part of efforts to prevent the movement of narcotic substances through the railway network.
Officials are now investigating the source of the seized ganja and the intended destination of the consignment.
Investigators are also probing whether the two accused were acting on behalf of a larger drug trafficking network and whether they had transported similar consignments in the past.
“The duo had procured the contraband from Bhubaneswar and was smuggling it to Delhi. The market value of the seized contraband is Rs 3,20,000,” said Bhubaneswar Excise SP Debasish Patel.