A major police operation in Gopalpur village of Odisha's Puri district on Friday led to the recovery of a massive cash pile alongside a huge quantity of cannabis during a raid. Penthakata police conducted the search acting on a specific tip-off regarding illicit drug activities at a rented property. Upon entering the premises, officers discovered hidden bundles of currency notes in such staggering amounts that the cash-counting machines struggled to keep up with the tally.
Rented property used for illegal operations
Investigators found that two individuals had rented a house near a pharmacy college owned by contractor Chandradhwaj Patra. The suspects were allegedly utilizing this rented accommodation to run their cannabis trade, a detail that initially reached the local police through confidential intelligence. While the operation successfully seized numerous bundles of cash valued in the crores, authorities stated that the exact total amount and the precise origin of the funds are still under active investigation.
Nearly a quintal of cannabis seized in packets
During the raid, law enforcement officials recovered approximately one quintal of cannabis distributed across 176 separate packets. According to police findings, the suspects packed the contraband systematically for distribution. Furthermore, authorities uncovered information indicating that the individuals had established dedicated storage depots in various locations to stash the illegal substances. Investigators are currently tracing the entire supply chain to identify where the contraband originated and where it was being distributed.
Two suspects detained with prior criminal records
Police detained two individuals identified as Kartikeswar Samantaray and Debendra Sahu in connection with the raid and are currently interrogating them. Puri SP Prateek Singh stated that authorities had received prior intelligence regarding the duo using the rented home for illegal narcotics operations. Additionally, initial checks revealed that both suspects possess prior records of involvement in drug-related illicit activities, prompting a deeper probe into their criminal network.
