Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police has achieved unprecedented success in its anti-narcotics campaign, destroying illegal ganja cultivation worth ₹1,444 crore, seizing ganja worth ₹1,346 crore, confiscating 1,862 litres of hashish oil valued at ₹200 crore, recovering brown sugar worth ₹41.7 crore, and impounding cough syrup worth ₹10.17 crore between January 1, 2025, and February 28, 2026. During this period, 654 inter-state drug traffickers were also arrested.
Director General of Police Yogesh Bahadur Khurania disclosed these details at a press conference held at the Police Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, stating that the drug mafia network in the state has been dismantled as a result of the well-planned and strategic operations carried out by Odisha Police. The campaign has been conducted in line with Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a drug-free India and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s 15-point guideline for anti-narcotics operations across the country. Under the strong leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Odisha Police has made remarkable strides in combating the drug menace in the state.
The DGP announced that a special statewide campaign will be launched from April 1, 2026, to take stringent action against narcotics in the state. He stated that the goal is to completely eradicate ganja and other narcotic substances from Odisha within the next three years.
Ganja cultivation and smuggling in the state have predominantly been concentrated in Naxal-affected areas, where it served as an easy source of income for Naxal groups who carried out illegal cultivation in dense forest regions to sustain their anti-social activities. However, as a result of relentless and firm action by Odisha Police, Naxal groups that were once active in 12 districts are now confined to merely two to three districts. Due to the decisive police action, ganja cultivation in districts like Gajapati, Rayagada, and Koraput has decreased by 50 percent.
During the period from January 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026, a record 48,160 acres of illegal ganja cultivation were completely destroyed across the state, with an estimated value exceeding ₹1,444 crore. In 2025, 670 cases were registered and 7 persons were arrested while 29,493 acres of cultivation were destroyed. By February 28, 2026, an additional 357 cases were registered, 28 persons were arrested, and 18,667 acres of ganja cultivation were completely razed.
Across the state, 2,69,166 kilograms of ganja were seized during this period, with an estimated market value exceeding ₹1,346 crore. In 2025, 1,389 cases were registered, 1,991 persons were arrested, and 1,95,130 kilograms of ganja were seized. By February 28, 2026, another 217 cases were registered, 343 persons were arrested, and 74,036 kilograms of ganja were confiscated.
In its crackdown on brown sugar trafficking, police conducted raids at various times and seized 20 kilograms and 690 grams of brown sugar with an estimated value exceeding ₹41.7 crore. A total of 445 cases were registered and 910 persons were arrested. In 2025, 352 cases were registered, 719 persons were arrested, and 18 kilograms of brown sugar were seized. By February 28, 2026, an additional 93 cases were registered, 191 persons were arrested, and 2 kilograms 690 grams of brown sugar were confiscated.
Similarly, police carried out raids to curb the illegal cough syrup trade, seizing 1,01,755 bottles of cough syrup and arresting 236 persons. In 2025, 69 cases were registered, 203 persons were arrested, and 78,969 bottles were seized. By February 28, 2026, another 10 cases were registered, 33 persons were arrested, and 22,786 bottles of cough syrup were confiscated.
In a significant operation a few days ago, Koraput district police raided a hashish oil manufacturing unit and seized more than 1,800 litres of hashish oil valued at approximately ₹200 crore, along with over 1,000 kilograms of ganja worth approximately ₹5 crore. The unit was destroyed, and four criminals from Kerala along with three from Odisha were arrested.
Additionally, in 2025, 60 litres of hashish oil were seized and 11 accused persons were arrested in separate operations.
The police have also taken firm steps in destroying seized narcotics. Over the past two years, 67 tonnes of ganja seized in 634 cases have been completely destroyed. Similarly, more than 1,016 grams of brown sugar seized in three cases have been disposed of. Under the special operation “Prahar” conducted by Odisha Police in September 2025, 339 cases were registered and 487 accused persons were arrested. During this operation, 12,736 kilograms of ganja, 2,185 grams of brown sugar, and 5,468 bottles of cough syrup were seized.
To break the economic backbone of drug traffickers, properties worth more than ₹10 crore have been attached. STF-trained K-9 sniffer dogs have been deployed at major railway stations and bus stands across the state to maintain strict vigilance against drug transportation.
Odisha Police is placing equal emphasis on punishment, awareness, and rehabilitation. Currently, 52 de-addiction centres are operational across the state, including 41 centres in 29 districts funded by the Central Government and 11 centres funded by the State Government. These centres provide free accommodation, food, medical treatment, and vocational training for up to one month, with Central Government centres accommodating 15 persons and State Government centres accommodating 30 persons at a time. So far, 19,395 individuals have successfully recovered from addiction and reintegrated into mainstream society.
Extensive awareness programmes are being conducted in schools, colleges, and public places to keep the people of the state free from drug addiction. Odisha Police has appealed to citizens to cooperate in building a drug-free society and has urged anyone with information related to drug trafficking to report it to the nearest police station or helpline number.
Against habitual drug traffickers, Odisha Police is taking stringent action under provisions similar to the National Security Act, specifically under Section 3 of the PITNDPS Act, 1988. In this regard, a total of 16 proposals have been sent to the State Government. Action has been taken against two drug traffickers in two cases under Section 3 of the PITNDPS Act, 1988, and both are currently lodged in jail.
