4 from WB caught with 135kg ganja

Berhampur: The sleuths of the excise department, Berhampur division, on Monday arrested four natives of West Bengal with around 135kg ganja, being allegedly transported in two cars, near Hinjili in Ganjam district. They have seized the ganja, along with the cars and seven mobile phones from the possession of the accused — drivers Rajesh Sarkar (21) and Sajal Sarkar (27), besides Saif Mohd Sayeed (35) and Asif Iqbal (32) — all residents of Raninagar area in Murshidabad district, said Srutikant Rout, deputy superintendent, intelligence and enforcement bureau of excise. The cost of the seized ganja and vehicles was around Rs 67 lakh, added Rout.The accused were allegedly transporting the ganja from Kandhamal district to West Bengal via Berhampur, when the excise team caught them. The exercise personnel are also investigating the involvement of others in the drug smuggling, said Rout.In a similar incident, a 36-year old man was arrested for alleged illegal possession of 6.69 grams brown sugar, worth around Rs 70,000, police said. Acting on a tip off, a police team caught accused Santosh Patra of Haradakhandi area red-handed, while he was coming to sell the narcotic substance in Gosaninuagaon area. "We are investigating to track the supply chain of the narcotic substances," said SP (Berhampur) Saravana Vivek M.