Hyderabad: Four persons who retrofitted a DCM vehicle with a concealed box to smuggle ganja were arrested by the Choutuppal police on Sunday.
The suspects were allegedly moving ganja hidden in the concealed box below the floorboard of the vehicle, to Maharashtra via Hyderabad when they were caught and 400 kg of the contraband was seized from them.
The arrested persons were identified as Banoth Veeranna, Karre Srisailam, Kethavath Shankar Naik and Panja Suraiah. Three others involved in the case are absconding.
Rachakonda Police Commissioner, DS Chauhan, said the suspects were regularly transporting the ganja to the neighbouring State and for the purpose had redesigned the floor of the DCM vehicle. A box was created under the DCM floor for concealing ganja and escape police checking. The gang kept the ganja consignment in the box and later loaded some other goods to conceal it.
“Previously on six instances the gang had successfully smuggled ganja from Hyderabad to Maharashtra. However, during vehicle checking on Saturday, the Chotuppal police caught them,” said Chauhan.
The gang had procured the contraband from a person from Krishnadevipeta in Andhra Pradesh. The four persons were produced before the court and remanded. Efforts are on to nab the three other suspects who are absconding.