The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized over 1.5kg of cannabis, worth over ₹3 crore and arrested five persons in Chhattisgarh, an official said on Wednesday.
A truck from Andhra Pradesh carrying the contraband was intercepted near capital Raipur on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, when it was heading to Maharashtra, it said.
“On the basis of specific intelligence, officers of the DRI’s Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh units intercepted the truck with Andhra Pradesh registration number near Raipur. The truck was carrying 1,534kg of ganja (cannabis), valued at ₹3.07 crore, which was concealed under organic fertilizers,” a release issued by the DRI stated.
“The truck was coming from Araku Valley of Andhra Pradesh and was being escorted by a pilot car. The consignment was being taken to Rahta in Maharashtra,” it said.
At least five members of the cartel have been arrested and further investigation is under way, it was stated.
In the current financial year (2020-21), the DRI’s Indore zonal unit has so far seized 5,842kg of cannabis and arrested 21 people, while in the previous fiscal (2019-20), 5,672kg of the contraband was seized with 16 arrests, the release stated.
