Cuttack: Tightening the noose around the necks of illegal drug traders in the State, the Central Excise Intelligence officials arrested at least three engineering students and seized ganja weighing 32 kg from their possession during a raid in the Millenium City today.
The held engineering students have been identified as Asish Kumar Digal, Manomalia Digal and Ranjan Kumar Digal. However, it is still not clear the college to which they belong to.
The raid was conducted based on an intelligence report from Excise Deputy Commissioner Ramchandra Palta and following a direction for the same by Excise Commissioner Bhupendra Singh Poonia this morning. The officials intercepted a Maruti Suzuki car on Link Road while it was carrying the accused along with the ganja consignment.
The seized ganja, which will cost around Rs 4 lakh had been peddled from Kandhamal to Cuttack to be smuggled later to Bhadrak and Balsore districts, said Excise Department sources.
Interrogation of the held peddlers is underway to examine the role of a bigger racket in the case.
Ms Kalinga