R Udayagiri: Gajapati police have seized over 2,010 kg of cannabis estimated to be worth Rs 2 crore from a dense forest, marking a major breakthrough in their anti-drug drive.
The seizure comes days after IPS officer Rakesh Kumar Sahu took charge as the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of R Udayagiri. Since then, he has intensified operations against illegal cannabis trade while tightening law and order, putting organised smuggling networks under pressure.
Acting on a tip-off, a police team led by Sahu raided a forest near Bimanpur village under Kirama panchayat Monday. During the operation, officers uncovered a large cache of cannabis hidden in and around an abandoned house.
The contraband had been buried in pits 4-5 feet deep and concealed in plastic drums and tin containers to avoid detection. Police later recovered the stock and packed it into 67 plastic sacks for weighing, which totalled 2,010 kg.
The accused fled the scene before police arrived. An investigation is underway to trace those involved.
Police said traffickers are increasingly using remote forest areas, caves and underground pits to hide cannabis before transporting it to other states. Efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend those linked to the illegal trade.