DRI seizes over 800 kg ganja

Ganja weighing over 800 kg has been seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) here, an official statement issued today said.

Acting on intelligence, the DRI officials intercepted a truck at Khanapara on the National Highway-37 here on Sunday.

A search of the passenger resulted in the recovery of 801.4 kg ganja (cannabis indica), which was compressed and wrapped in brown adhesive tapes and concealed in the cavities carved out at the floor of the vehicle, it said.

The entire consignment of ganja and the vehicle were seized and two persons, hailing from Mainpuri district of Uttar Pradesh, have been arrested in connection with the case.

The ganja was being transported from Tripura to Uttar Pradesh, the statement issued by the DRI said.

Investigation has revealed that the cavities in the vehicle were specially constructed by the driver specifically meant to carry narcotics. The driver of the vehicle has admitted that in the past too, he has transported ganja for the same cartel for pecuniary gains, it said.

This is the fifth successive instance of the recovery of ganja that is sourced from Tripura that has been detected by the DRI recently in north east.

A total of 5,000 kg of ganja, originating from Tripura, has been seized in the past few months.

Organised cultivation and harvesting of ganja for commercial purpose in Tripura is seen to be a new trend and the DRI is closely monitoring the development in the eastern sector, the statement said.

It has been observed that large scale cultivation of ganja is taking place in the hilly tracts and jungles of Tripura under the thick foliage of rubber plantations, it said.

"Often business persons obtain lease of land and government sanction for cultivation of rubber plants and misuse bank loans by concentrating more on the cultivation of ganja than what the government sanction and bank loans were intended for," the DRI said.