In a major anti-narcotics operation, Malkangiri police on Sunday busted a mobile hashish oil manufacturing unit and seized a large quantity of chemicals and narcotics precursors worth an estimated ₹100 crore in potential market value. The operation marks one of the most significant drug-related seizures in the region in recent times, officials said.

Acting on intelligence inputs received over the past few days, police had been tracking suspected illegal activities in the Chitrakonda area under Malkangiri district. Reports suggested that a clandestine unit involved in producing hashish oil was operating in remote and forested regions. Following this, multiple surveillance operations and raids were conducted across suspected locations to trace the mobile manufacturing setup.

Police officials said the syndicate behind the operation had been shifting the entire setup frequently to avoid detection due to increased enforcement pressure. Eventually, a breakthrough came early Sunday morning when a team led by SDPO Chitrakonda Pradosh Pradhan intercepted a vehicle near Essar Chowk, en route to the Sileru area, which was found carrying the concealed mobile manufacturing unit.

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During the seizure, police recovered around 800 litres of chemicals and solvents believed to be used as precursors in the production of high-potency hashish oil. Officials also confiscated a vehicle with falsified registration plates, 50 kg of ganja, and approximately two litres of finished hashish oil. The seized materials, authorities said, indicate an organised supply chain operating across difficult terrain to evade law enforcement.

The driver of the vehicle managed to escape into a nearby forest area, taking advantage of the dense terrain. Police have since launched a manhunt and constituted multiple special teams to trace the absconding suspect and identify other members of the trafficking network involved in the operation. Officials noted that increasing pressure on traditional cannabis trafficking routes has led smuggling networks to shift towards producing hashish oil, which is easier to transport due to its smaller volume but high value. Authorities said further investigation is underway to uncover the broader syndicate and dismantle the network operating across inter-state routes.

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