Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown on narcotics operations, the Odisha Police has busted a mobile hashish oil manufacturing unit in Malkangiri district, seizing precursor materials and contraband with an estimated market value of ₹100 crore.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a team led by the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Chitrakonda carried out a targeted operation in the early hours of Sunday near Chitrakonda. The raid resulted in the interception of a vehicle transporting a clandestine, fully equipped mobile processing unit.
Officials said approximately 800 litres of chemical precursors and solvents used in the production of high-potency hashish oil were recovered. In addition, police seized 50 kilograms of ganja and around 2 litres of processed hashish oil from the vehicle. The equipment recovered included specialised extraction machinery, indicating an organised and technically equipped operation.
Based on the volume of seized precursor materials, authorities estimate that the unit had the capacity to produce up to 800 litres of hashish oil, with a potential illicit market value of nearly ₹100 crore.
The operation was carried out under the supervision of the Superintendent of Police, Malkangiri. The intercepted vehicle, bearing an Andhra Pradesh registration number that was later found to be falsified, has also been confiscated.
According to police sources, the illegal unit had been on the radar for several days following intelligence inputs suggesting its presence in the Chitrakonda region. However, sustained enforcement pressure forced the operators to frequently shift locations, effectively turning the setup into a mobile manufacturing unit to evade detection.
During the latest raid, the driver of the vehicle managed to escape into nearby forested terrain, taking advantage of the difficult geography of the region. Police have launched a search operation to track down those involved, with indications that a larger interstate syndicate may be behind the operation.
Investigations are currently underway to identify the network, trace supply chains, and determine the intended distribution channels of the seized narcotics.
