Daijiworld Media Network - Ranchi

Ranchi, Oct 2: Jharkhand Police seized ganja and brown sugar worth more than Rs 52 lakh and arrested eight people during separate operations in Ranchi and Deoghar districts, officials said on Friday.

In Ranchi, three people were arrested with 97 kg of ganja in a joint operation by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Ranchi, and Nagri Police within the Nagri police station limits.

Acting on a tip-off, NCB officials, with the assistance of Nagri Police, intercepted two four-wheelers and recovered 97 kg of ganja from one of the vehicles. The three accused were arrested and both vehicles were seized, Ranchi Rural SP Gaurav Goswami said.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the contraband was allegedly being transported from Odisha to Barhi. NCB officials took possession of the seized ganja and the accused, the SP said. The estimated market value of the ganja is more than Rs 48 lakh.

In a separate operation in Deoghar, police arrested five people and seized 21 grams of brown sugar valued at around Rs 4.20 lakh, along with Rs 5,400 in cash.

The accused were arrested during a raid in Hindolavaran within the Mohanpur police station limits on Thursday.

Deoghar SP Praveen Pushkar said all five accused were aged between 20 and 36 years and had criminal histories, with two of them allegedly involved in similar offences.

Further investigation is underway.