In a significant triumph in the battle against narcotics, law enforcement apprehended two individuals and confiscated over 10 quintals of cannabis, valued at Rs 15 crore, in Kawardha, Chhattisgarh, on February 15. This operation unfolded within the jurisdiction of the Chilfi police station on the border between Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

The Superintendent of Police (SP) in Kawardha, Abhishek Pallav, delved deeper into the incident, revealing that Anil Chaudhary, 30, and Atendra Singh, both hailing from Sewar village in Bharatpur district, Rajasthan, were the apprehended individuals. Pallav emphasized that the duo was taken into custody at a checkpoint in response to intelligence regarding drug trafficking.

During the routine inspection of vehicles, the police scrutinized a Tata 1102 truck with Andhra Pradesh registration number AP31TD3618. Upon questioning the driver, who claimed to be transporting rice from Odisha to Agra, law enforcement discovered substantial packages of cannabis concealed among the rice sacks.

Consequently, the police impounded the vehicle, along with detaining both the driver and a companion. Additionally, the driver’s mobile phone was confiscated. SP Kawardha stated that the police seized 1050 kg of cannabis from the truck, with an estimated market value exceeding Rs 15 crore. Initial investigations indicate that the cannabis was en route from Balangir district in Odisha to Agra.

There are suspicions that the arrested driver has previous involvement in smuggling activities. The accused asserted to the police that he was transporting a consignment of rice from Odisha to Agra. In a separate anti-narcotics operation on Thursday, Bemetara police seized 6.28 quintals of cannabis, valued at Rs 2 crore, leading to the arrest of five smugglers in the case.