MALKANGIRI: AN inter-State ganja trader, Raju Borai was arrested by district police from MV-83 village on Tuesday.
Borai was wanted by police since long. Informing this to mediapersons, SP Jagmohan Meena said Borai, a native of MV-83 village under Malkangiri police limits, was financing ganja cultivation in the villages and supplied the contraband outside the State. He had links with hemp traders in other States and a non-bailable warrant under NDPS Act was pending against him. Cash of Rs 5.98 lakh, 116.5 kg of ganjawere seized from him.
The SP added that ganja plants worth Rs 42.9 crore have been destroyed in the remote pockets of Malkangiri by a joint team of Excise sleuths and police in the last nine days. The plants were grown over 352 acres of land. On Monday, the team led by Excise Superintendent Ashok Kumar Seth raided forests adjoining Goiguda and Machhiamba villages and destroyed 66,300 ganja plants that were grown in 51 acres of land.