Bastar police on Tuesday destroyed 2,235 kg of ganja valued at Rs 2.02 crore by burning it in the furnace of the NMDC plant here, officials said. The narcotic substance, seized in 61 separate cases over recent months, was disposed of in the presence of senior police and Narcotics Bureau officials at the plant premises in Jagdalpur.

According to officials, the consignment had been intercepted at various points while being smuggled from Odisha through Chhattisgarh, with most of it destined for onward transport to other states. The total value of the ganja, along with other narcotic material destroyed during the operation, came to Rs 2,02,97,560, police said.

Seized Across 61 Cases

Police records show the cannabis haul was not a single large seizure but the cumulative result of 61 cases registered over time. Officials familiar with the matter said most consignments were caught at checkpoints and during vehicle inspections along routes connecting Odisha to Chhattisgarh, a corridor that narcotics officials have flagged repeatedly as a key smuggling channel into central and northern India.

Smuggled Via Odisha Route

Sources said the bulk of the seized ganja had originated from Odisha, with traffickers using Chhattisgarh as a transit state to move the contraband further into the country. The pattern, according to police, has been observed in earlier seizures as well, prompting tighter checks along the border districts in recent months.

NMDC Furnace Used Disposal

The destruction was carried out as per the laid-down procedure, with the entire 2,235 kg lot fed into the furnace at the NMDC plant under direct supervision. Bastar Superintendent of Police Shalabh Kumar Sinha, along with departmental officers and Narcotics Control Bureau representatives, oversaw the process to ensure compliance with disposal norms.

Syrup Buried, Bottles Recycled

Alongside the ganja, 6,500 millilitres of narcotic syrup was also destroyed, buried in a pit dug specifically for the purpose, in keeping with standard disposal rules. Officials said the empty plastic bottles that had contained the syrup were separated and sent to a plastic recycling unit, in line with environmental norms rather than being discarded as waste.

NCB Guidelines Followed

Police clarified that the entire exercise, from incineration of the ganja to the burial of the syrup and recycling of plastic containers, was conducted under the framework laid out by the Narcotics Control Bureau. The step is part of a routine disposal cycle that law enforcement agencies follow once seized contraband has cleared the required legal and evidentiary processes.

SP Vows Continued Crackdown

Speaking after the destruction drive, SP Shalabh Kumar Sinha said the campaign against narcotics in the district would continue without let-up, adding that effective action would keep being taken to move society towards a drug-free environment. Police did not specify a timeline for further operations but indicated that surveillance along smuggling routes from Odisha would remain a priority.

The Tuesday operation adds to a string of similar disposal drives carried out by Bastar police in recent years, as authorities continue to grapple with cannabis trafficking through the region. With Chhattisgarh's proximity to Odisha's cannabis-growing belts, officials say sustained vigilance along inter-state routes remains central to curbing the flow of ganja into other parts of the country.