Bhubaneswar, July 1 (UDN): The Odisha Police has announced a series of major initiatives to strengthen its anti-narcotics operations, including the formation of a dedicated Anti Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and the establishment of four special NDPS courts across the state.
The announcement was made by Director General of Police (DGP) Yogesh Bahadur Khurania during a programme held at the State Police Headquarters as part of the National-Level Pre-Trial Drug Destruction Special Drive being conducted under the guidance of the Narcotics Control Bureau.
The proposed ANTF will be headed by an officer of Additional Director General of Police rank and will include 10 field units and 19 special intelligence units. The state government has also approved four special courts under the NDPS Act at Bhubaneswar, Khordha, Angul, and Sambalpur to ensure faster trial and disposal of drug-related cases.
Odisha Police has set a target of taking strict action annually against at least 100 major drug traffickers and dismantling identified drug networks and hotspots across the state.
Officials stated that the anti-drug strategy will focus on identifying and targeting the financial and operational networks of drug trafficking organisations, including illegal ganja cultivation and inter-state smuggling routes.
Between July 2024 and March 2026, Odisha Police reported significant achievements, including the destruction of over 63,720 acres of illegal ganja cultivation and the seizure of approximately 421 tonnes of ganja. During this period, 2,445 NDPS cases were registered and 3,502 individuals were arrested.
As part of the ongoing destruction drive, authorities are set to dispose of seized narcotics, including ganja, brown sugar, and cough syrup, at designated incineration centres across multiple districts.
The programme also highlighted extensive public awareness efforts, with thousands of citizens, students, and teachers participating in drug-free pledge campaigns across the state.
Senior police officials attended the event, marking a renewed push toward creating a drug-free Odisha through coordinated enforcement and awareness measures.
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