Ganja, cough syrup racket busted in Odisha’s Bargarh; 6 arrested

Bargarh: Bargarh police have busted a ganja and cough syrup smuggling racket with arrest of six persons and seizure of huge cache of illegal contraband as well as cough syrup bottles here in the district yesterday.

Acting on a tip-off, Barpali police and special squad seized 72 kg ganja and 1600 cough syrup bottles during frisking near a hotel on NH-26 on Saturday. They apprehended six persons on charges of their involvement in the illegal trade.

The accused persons have been identified as Seikh Mainudhin (32), Lingaraj Meher (32), Seikh Haidar (35), Kamal Behera (30), Suryakanta Sahu (43) and Paresh Sahu (28).

The persons were arrested while transporting the ganja and illegal sough syrups in three vehicles from Balangir.

The police also seized three four wheelers, eight mobile phones, Rs 2,89,800 cash, two firearms and 17 rounds of live ammunitions from their possession.

A case has been registered against them under sections 20(b)(ii)(c), 25, 29 of NDPS Act, 120(B), 274, 275 of IPC and 25 of Arms Act.