Ganja worth Rs 1.52 crore seized in Kothagudem, student among four arrested

In a major joint operation, Telangana’s Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE), RNCC, Khammam and Dammapet police seized ganja worth Rs 1.52 crore in Kothagudem. Four suspects were arrested, while four others remain absconding.

Kothagudem: In a joint operation by Telangana’s Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE), Regional Narcotics Control Cell (RNCC), Khammam and Dammapet police, ganja worth Rs 1.52 crore was seized in the district on Wednesday.

Speaking to the media, Kothagudem DSP Shaik Abdul Rahaman said police teams stopped a transport container during vehicle inspections at Atchutapuram crossroads under the limits of Dammapet police station.

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On inspection, the ganja was found hidden in a secret chamber made in the lower part of the container to avoid suspicion. As many as 152 packets of ganja weighing around 304 kg were seized.

Two individuals in the container and two individuals in the escort car were taken into custody and were interrogated. They confessed to police they purchased the marijuana from Sadhu Guruji of Chitrakonda near Bananduli in Odisha and transported it to Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh.

Later, they loaded the substance into the container to deliver it to a marijuana smuggler, Vikram of Chennai. A case was registered against the individuals who sold, purchased and transported the ganja. The container, car, five mobile phones and Rs 4500 were seized.

The accused Vanthala Yemalaiah of Visakhapatnam, Arjun B, Shanmugam M (a student) and Devakar of Tiruvallur district in Tamil Nadu were arrested. Four other accused, Sadhu Guruji, Vikram, J Subramanyam of Tiruvallur and Vikash Ankush Thangedi of Maharashtra are absconding, the DSP said.