Ganja supply network in erstwhile Medak surprises cops

Recent crackdowns in erstwhile Medak district revealed a widespread ganja network, from wholesalers to retailers targeting students and industrial workers, despite police efforts.

Sangareddy: Recent crackdowns on smuggling, distribution and sale of ganja (cannabis) in the district has revealed a vast network, which has taken the police by surprise with the network found to be so widespread that the ganja peddlers had supply systems in place in every mandal of the erstwhile district.

According to the police, the peddlers, who were focusing on students and industrial workers, had developed a network to reach customers in every nook and cranny of the district. The ganja was mostly being brought from the Odisha-Andhra border to Medak district via Khammam, Nalgonda and the Outer Ring Road in huge quantities. It was then sold to wholesalers, who were the main sources for selling the ganja in certain locations. The wholesalers were selling the ganja in batches of a few kilograms to retailers who would be the go-to destination for cannabis in colonies and villages.

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The network was exposed when the Siddipet police nabbed nine ganja peddlers while a wholesaler was selling to eight retailers recently, who were from different parts of the district. The kingpins, wholesalers and retailers were sharing the profits. According to sources in the department, the wholesalers were selling the ganja at Rs.500 a kg to retailers, who were then packing the cannabis in small amounts ranging from 50 grams to 100 grams, which they were selling to individual clients.

Sangareddy SP Chennuri Rupesh had constituted a special team to check the ganja smuggling and sales in the district but the business is still going on unabated. The police in Sangareddy, Siddipet and Medak had also roped in sniffer dogs to check the smuggling of ganja and other narcotic drugs, but yet have not been able to break the chain. A major portion of the ganja and other drugs that were seized were headed to the Patancheru industrial area where many industrial workers were reportedly addicted to its consumption.

The peddlers were also targeting engineering and medicine students. A good number of pan shops were also selling ganja in different forms including as ganja chocolates. The peddlers, according to the police, prefer to make the stuff available at shops located close to wine shops and bars. While the Sangareddy police seized nearly 10 quintals (1,000 kg) of ganja since January, the Siddipet and Medak police have seized 65 kg and 83 kg respectively in the same period.