Hyderabad emerges as key transit hub for inter-state drug smuggling via road and rail

Hyderabad’s strategic location and transport links are making it a preferred transit point for drug smugglers. Ganja from Andhra Pradesh is routed through the city via roads, railways, and buses, prompting tighter surveillance from excise and police departments.

Hyderabad: Drug trafficking syndicates appears to be fully utilizing the road and rail connectivity of Hyderabad with other states to transport drug consignments.

In recent times, the prohibition and excise department teams and the Telangana police have nabbed several gangs who have been using the city as a transit point for drug smuggling.

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The law enforcers recovered huge quantities of drugs, in particular ganja, at the railway stations, bus stations and highways that were headed to other states.

“It is due to the centralized location that Hyderabad is preferred. Ganja from Andhra Pradesh to be routed to Maharashtra or other states is transported through Telangana,” said an official of prohibition and excise department.

The Outer Ring Road running along the outskirts of the city is one of the important routes for the ganja smuggling syndicates to transport the weed.

The Special Operations Teams of Rachakonda and Cyberabad police, the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE), and local police have seized hundreds of kilograms of drugs on the ORR.

“The ORR stretch connects different highways linking Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. So those smuggling ganja in cars, vans, lorries or trucks prefer the ORR. The police are always watchful at the ORR toll gates and been able to detect and nab the smugglers,” said a police official of Rachakonda SOT.

Of the railway stations, the Secunderabad railway station is the most preferred destination for the smugglers. “The ganja brought through trains from Andhra Pradesh is dumped at Secunderabad railway station. It is then picked up by other members of the gang to carry it in another train to the end destination,” a railway police official said.

The bus stations also report cases of drug being transported. “The city is well connected with cities and towns of other states with fleets of private and government bus services,” said a police official.