Three persons, including a woman from Odisha, were arrested by the Perundurai police on Monday (July 27, 2026) for transporting 12 kg of ganja, valued at around ₹6 lakh, by car from Odisha to Erode district.The arrests were made during a vehicle check near Kottai Muniyappan Temple close to the Perundurai bus stand. A police team led by Sub-Inspector Dinesh Kumar intercepted a car travelling from Coimbatore towards Perundurai. During a search of the vehicle, the police found 12 kg of ganja concealed in a suitcase. The accused were identified as Gopal (42) of Odapallam on Poondurai Road in Erode, Deepak (20) of Nathakadaiyur in Tiruppur district, and Nilathiri Nayak (26) of Odisha.Preliminary investigation revealed that the contraband had allegedly been smuggled from Odisha for distribution in the region, the police said.The three were arrested and the ganja was seized. The police have launched a search for Abhay Kumar of Odisha, who is wanted in connection with the case. Sources added that Gopal has several criminal cases pending against him at various stations in the district. Published - July 27, 2026 05:55 pm IST