A coordinated multi-week investigation by Odisha’s specialized law enforcement unit has led to the arrest of four individuals, including the man believed to be the mastermind of a cross-state cannabis smuggling operation, police announced. The suspects were taken into custody Friday near the village of Pichukuli along National Highway 57, a route that links the districts of Nayagarh and Khurda.
Authorities identified the alleged ringleader as Durbasa Sahu, 46, along with Subudhi Sahu, 40, Arun Kumar Rana, 34, and Prakash Khatua, 35. All four men are residents of Boudh district, according to a statement from the Special Task Force of the Odisha Crime Branch.
Operation Green Clean and the Arrests
The arrests marked the culmination of “Operation Green Clean,” a month-long intelligence-driven campaign conducted across Boudh, Kandhamal, and Sonepur districts. The operation was designed to dismantle an inter-state cannabis smuggling syndicate that police say has been moving contraband from Odisha into Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and West Bengal.
The breakthrough in the investigation came earlier in the week, when officers seized 190 kilograms of cannabis from a cashew plantation near Athagarh in Cuttack district on Wednesday. That seizure triggered a series of leads that ultimately pointed to Durbasa Sahu as the syndicate’s head. Acting on specific intelligence inputs Friday morning, multiple teams from the Special Task Force executed a coordinated operation that resulted in the capture of all four accused, including the alleged kingpin who had managed to evade arrest days earlier.
Preliminary investigation has revealed that Sahu controlled a supply network with connections extending across several Indian states, a senior task force official said. The official added that a financial investigation into the operation is now underway to trace the flow of money and further disrupt the network’s infrastructure.
Unusual Delivery Method and Seizure
The Wednesday seizure of 190 kilograms of cannabis provided investigators with crucial evidence that cracked the case. During questioning, officers learned that the delivery agent involved in that transaction had been given half of a torn 10-rupee note. The agent was instructed to hand over the contraband only to a person carrying the matching half of the note, a tactic designed to ensure secure and reliable exchanges.
This method, while unorthodox, underscores the lengths to which smuggling networks go to maintain operational secrecy. Even after that large seizure, the alleged kingpin remained at large until the coordinated Friday operation brought him and his associates into custody.
The arrest of all four men represents a significant blow to the syndicate, which police say has been active for an extended period. The operation also highlights the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing in disrupting criminal enterprises that rely on multiple states for supply and distribution.
Policing Challenges in a Border State
Odisha, a state on India’s eastern coast, shares borders with several other states, a geographic reality that can facilitate the movement of illegal goods across state lines. The Odisha Police, headquartered in Cuttack, operates under the state Home Department and was established in 1936. Over the decades, the force has evolved into a structured organization divided into police ranges and districts to manage regional security effectively.
In 1940, a manual of rules was introduced to define the duties and powers of officers at every level. Today, the agency maintains a high proportion of women in recruited posts compared to other Indian police services, including positions such as civil constables and sub-inspectors.
The force also employs specialized divisions for training, technical operations, and investigation. Effective law enforcement in this region is critical because the state’s geography makes it a potential corridor for illegal trafficking. Coordinated efforts such as Operation Green Clean are necessary to disrupt these networks, seize illicit goods, and bring key figures to justice. The month-long operation across multiple districts and the subsequent arrests demonstrate the police’s commitment to maintaining public safety and curbing the flow of narcotics across state boundaries.
