Bhubaneswar, Jul 15: The Odisha Excise Department has busted an alleged ganja smuggling racket, arresting four persons, including two women, and seizing 70 kilograms of ganja along with two luxury vehicles.

According to officials, the accused were transporting the contraband from Kandhamal to Bhubaneswar via Nayagarh when the Excise Department intercepted the vehicles after a brief chase. The enforcement team successfully apprehended all four suspects and confiscated the ganja along with the two SUVs used in the operation.

The arrested individuals include two women and two young men. Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the women and her husband was allegedly the masterminds behind the trafficking network, while the others were involved in transporting the narcotics.

Officials suspect the gang had been operating along the Kandhamal–Nayagarh–Bhubaneswar route to smuggle ganja. A case has been registered under the relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and further investigation is underway to identify other members of the network and uncover the full extent of the operation.