Ganja worth Rs20 lakh seized near Berhampur

Excise personnel have seized 10 quintals of ganja at the unified inter-state check gate at Girisola, about 20km from here and arrested the driver of the vehicle carrying the contraband.

Acting on a tip-off, they raided a mini-truck from Andhra Pradesh and seized the banned substance valued at Rs20 lakh yesterday, district excise superintendent Sumanta Kumar said.

The driver, identified as Satyanand Swain, hailing from Mahakalapada in Orissa's Kendrapada district, was arrested and the vehicle seized. However, some others travelling in the truck fled, he said.

The contraband was possibly on its way through Andhra Pradesh to the coastal districts of Orissa from Malkangiri, Kar said.

The ganja packets were covered with soybeans to camouflage.