According to officials, the seizure involved six vehicles, including three trucks, intercepted at different border points late Tuesday night. The paddy was confiscated under provisions of the Mandi Act and handed over for further legal proceedings. Police said the consignments were being transported without valid procurement documents, indicating a coordinated effort to divert grain across state lines.
Senior officials said the operation was conducted simultaneously at three border routes connecting Odisha to Gariaband. The swift action followed specific intelligence inputs suggesting increased movement of paddy during night hours to bypass checks. “This was a planned attempt to exploit the price difference between the two states. The vehicles were intercepted before the grain could enter procurement centres,” an officer involved in the operation said.
The Devbhog police team played a central role in the drive. Acting on directions from the newly appointed Superintendent of Police, officers seized 400 bags from a truck at the Badhiyamal check post. Additional seizures included 100 bags from a metador at the Pitapara border and 60 bags loaded on a tractor at the Jhiripani route. In total, Devbhog police alone recovered 560 bags from three vehicles.
In a separate action, two trucks carrying 810 bags were intercepted near the Amlipara area after police received information that smugglers were using the Raigarh block of Odisha’s Nabarangpur district as a “safe route.” The trucks were later handed over to Indagaon police for further investigation. Another vehicle was stopped near Dhorakot after crossing the Roda checkpoint, following a joint operation by mandi, food and cooperative department teams.
Officials said that since the start of the procurement season, more than 40 vehicles carrying Odisha paddy worth over ₹1 crore have been seized in Gariaband district. Despite this, questions have been raised about the effectiveness of temporary revenue department checkpoints, as several intercepted vehicles had reportedly passed through them without action.
Authorities said a detailed review of enforcement mechanisms is underway to plug gaps and prevent further illegal transportation. “The focus is to ensure that only eligible farmers benefit from MSP procurement,” a district official said, adding that surveillance along border routes will be intensified in the coming days.
