How Tamil Nadu cops cracked down on inter-state bucket ganja racket

Biryani and fried chicken are not the only things being sold in buckets. In Tamil Nadu, a new term is circulating in law enforcement circles: bucket ganja.

What triggered this is the state police dismantling a major interstate ganja smuggling network that resulted in the seizure of 210 kg of the narcotic and the arrest of 28 persons in Tamil Nadu and Odisha. The cops uncovered a sophisticated smuggling racket that used deceptive methods to transport the contraband.

The term 'bucket ganja' specifically refers to the gang’s tactic of concealing the narcotic inside paint buckets to evade detection during transit from Odisha to Tamil Nadu.

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What’s bucket ganja

According to police statements, the accused regularly transported ganja under the guise of legitimate goods such as millet, paint and other items, using cars and trucks.

The use of paint buckets for concealment allowed the smugglers to mask the drug’s presence, making it appear as though they were transporting industrial or household goods.

This method highlights the ingenuity of the smuggling network, which relied on everyday items to bypass routine checks. The operation’s success in Ranipet and Cuddalore districts, where eight and 20 arrests were made, respectively, underscores the scale of the network, with most accused hailing from Koraput and Rayagada districts in Odisha.

Why Odisha?

Odisha’s role as a hub for ganja cultivation is well-documented. This operation further cemented its reputation as a primary source of high-quality ganja.

Police data indicate that Odisha is the main base for ganja cultivation, with its hilly regions of Koraput and Rayagada being particularly notorious for producing premium strains. The quality of ganja from these areas, often grown in remote, forested terrains, makes it highly sought after in the drug trade.

The Tamil Nadu Police noted that the best quality ganja was procured from these hilly areas, which explains why the smuggling network established its production point there.

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Hotspot for ganja

"The Andhra-Odisha border region, including districts like Koraput and Rayagada, is a hotspot for ganja cultivation, with police launching special operations and destroying cannabis plantations. But they still come in different names," a senior police officer told The Federal.

Additionally, police data cited in the current case reveals that Odisha has seen the highest number of ganja-related cases, with around 5 lakh kg of ganja seized and destroyed in recent years.

This staggering figure underscores Odisha’s entrenched role in the narcotics trade, driven by its geographical advantages and the economic incentives for local cultivators.

Smuggling network

The Tamil Nadu Police’s investigation revealed a well-organised supply chain that operated with precision across state lines.

The Odisha team, primarily based in Koraput and Rayagada, procured high-quality ganja from local agents in the hilly regions. They disguised the contraband — in paint buckets or other goods like millet — and transported it to Tamil Nadu. This allowed the smugglers to blend into the regular movement of goods and workers, reducing suspicion.

Once the consignment reached Tamil Nadu, it was handed over to local agents at a significant mark-up. The Odisha gang reportedly earned Rs 50,000-60,000 per kg, a price that increased as the ganja moved through the distribution chain.

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Network’s operation

Local agents in districts like Ranipet and Cuddalore then distributed the ganja to smaller groups, who further supplied it to end consumers. This multi-tiered network ensured that the drug reached a wide market while minimizing direct exposure for the higher-ups in the operation.

The price escalation at each stage reflects the high demand for Odisha’s premium ganja as well as the risks involved in interstate smuggling.

A police officer from Cuddalore disclosed another modus operandi of ganja smuggling operation. This is orchestrated by brokers, with two key brokers residing in the hilly areas of the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border controlling the network. Brokers from each district in Tamil Nadu coordinate the distribution and logistics on the ground.

Digital payments

According to the officer, the AP-Odisha brokers facilitate transactions through digital payments like GPay, after which a middleman dispatches the consignment via couriers, locally referred to as kuruvies ('sparrows').

These carriers board trains from Anakapalle to Chennai but avoid reaching Chennai Central railway station; instead, they disembark prematurely at Perambalur, where they switch to bikes or buses to transport the ganja to Cuddalore, a tactic designed to evade detection at major transit hubs and highlighting the calculated methods used by the network to navigate law enforcement scrutiny.

What sets this operation apart is the Tamil Nadu Police’s ability to trace the smuggling network back to its production point in Odisha. Typically, law enforcement efforts focus on apprehending low-level smugglers or couriers while the kingpins remain at large.

Police brilliance

However, in this case, a special team leveraged intelligence from inmates already in custody to identify and apprehend the masterminds behind the operation. The strategic use of informant inputs allowed the police to secure the entire team, from the cultivators in Odisha to the distributors in Tamil Nadu.

The operation’s success also highlights the importance of interstate coordination. The Tamil Nadu Police worked across state lines to dismantle the network, a necessity given the challenges of drug trafficking that spans multiple jurisdictions.

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While the Tamil Nadu Police’s operation is a commendable step in curbing narcotics trafficking, it also raises questions about the broader systemic issues at play. The fact that Odisha remains a persistent hub for ganja cultivation, despite years of seizures and crackdowns, suggests deeper socio-economic factors driving the trade.

A senior police officer from Cuddalore revealed that over the past four months, the district police have made significant strides in combating ganja smuggling, arresting 122 individuals across 44 cases and seizing 87 kg of ganja, primarily sourced from the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border.

Tirupati route

The officer said the ganja is transported to Chennai and Cuddalore, often via the Tirupati route, which serves as a key transit point for the contraband.

This corridor, connecting the AP-Odisha border to Tamil Nadu, has emerged as a critical pathway for the drug trade, with smugglers exploiting its connectivity to move ganja under the guise of legitimate goods, highlighting the challenges faced by law enforcement in monitoring such interstate networks.