Bhubaneswar: In a significant development in the fight against illegal drug trafficking, police in Kandhamal have arrested a prominent member of an inter-state cannabis smuggling operation in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
The individual, Rupesh Pradhan, who is 26 years old, was taken into custody during a focused operation, marking the ninth arrest linked to the drug syndicate led by Dillip Kumar Gouda. Pradhan had been on the run for the past year.
During a press briefing, Kandhamal Superintendent of Police Ramendra Prasad disclosed that Pradhan, a resident of Khajurinala village within the Balliguda police jurisdiction, was responsible for managing the syndicate’s financial dealings and logistical arrangements. Although bank accounts and vehicles were registered in his name, they were reportedly controlled by the mastermind of the operation to facilitate the movement of cannabis and to launder money from the illicit enterprise.
Among the nine individuals now detained, six were arrested in Odisha, while the remaining three were taken into custody during coordinated operations in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh. Those arrested include Dillip Gouda (29) from Badagouda Sahi in Kabisurya Nagar, D N Dinesh (28) from Sunapanga, Sunil Mallick (28) from Patamaha, Deepak Kumar Diga (32) from Gulimarasahi, Simanchal Biswal (42) from Sunapanga, Mahendra Mallick (29) from Kandhamal district, Ishwar Singh (35) from Salaria in Rajasthan’s Dug district, and Chunbad R Ojha (50) from Surat in Gujarat.
Many of the detainees reportedly have prior criminal histories related to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and organized crime across various states.
In a simultaneous financial offensive under the NDPS Act, authorities have frozen or seized assets amounting to nearly Rs 4 crore linked to the members of this syndicate. This includes around Rs 16 lakh in bank accounts, real estate valued at approximately Rs 2 crore, a range of commercial and luxury vehicles utilized for trafficking, and gold jewelry estimated to be worth about Rs 30 lakh.
Ongoing investigations aim to uncover further connections, money-laundering networks, and additional associates involved in this regional trafficking operation.
