Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 9: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) conducted eight major operations across the country over the last fortnight, seizing around 740 kg of cannabis and charas and arresting 13 people, an official statement said on Wednesday.

The seizures included 709.6 kg of cannabis (ganja), 24.5 kg of high-grade hydroponic cannabis and 5 kg of charas, the statement issued by the Ministry of Finance said.

Acting on intelligence inputs, DRI officers intercepted two trucks coming from Visakhapatnam at Old Dhamtari Road near Raipur. A search led to the recovery of 61 packets concealed in 10 sacks kept in the loading areas of the trucks.

A total of 375.95 kg of cannabis, along with the two trucks, was seized under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Four persons were arrested in the operation.

Acting on specific intelligence during September 5-6, DRI officers intercepted a truck on the Aurangabad-Patna Highway near Patna. The officers were allegedly attacked during the operation, leaving one of them injured, while the driver managed to escape.

A subsequent search of the truck led to the recovery of 90 packets containing ganja. A total of 140.5 kg of the contraband and the vehicle were seized, the statement said.

Earlier, on August 26, 2026, DRI officers had seized around 124 kg of cannabis concealed in a truck near Raipur and arrested one person.

In another operation on September 3, 2026, DRI intercepted three persons travelling in the general compartment of the Amarnath Express at Gorakhpur Railway Station.

A personal search resulted in the recovery of around 5 kg of charas (hashish). Two of the passengers had allegedly concealed the contraband in knee-cap-like coverings wrapped around their thighs and hidden inside their sarees.

Investigations indicated that the charas had been smuggled from Nepal.

The recovered charas was seized and all three persons were arrested under the NDPS Act, 1985.