Lamtaput, Nov 11: Machhkund Police have achieved another success in their crackdown on illegal ganja smuggling by seizing 132 kg of ganja from a pickup van and arresting one person in connection with the case.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs about a ganja smuggling operation, a joint team of Machhkund and Lamtaput police set up a checkpoint near Dokripada village. During the operation, police spotted a pickup van approaching at high speed and intercepted the vehicle for inspection.

Upon searching the vehicle, police recovered 132 kg of ganja packed in seven sacks from its rear cargo compartment. The driver, identified as Gopinath Khinibudi, a resident of the Patangi area, was arrested on the spot.

According to police, the seized contraband is estimated to be worth approximately Rs 15 lakh.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the ganja was being transported from a border area of Malkangiri district to Patangi for illegal distribution.

Police have launched a further investigation to identify other individuals involved in the smuggling network and establish the full extent of the operation.