Rowdy sheeters turn to ganja trade in Hyderabad as lucrative drug business attracts hardcore criminals

A new trend is emerging where rowdy sheeters—typically involved in crimes like robberies, murders, dacoities, extortion, and property offenses—are shifting their focus to the ganja trade. Over the past two months, Hyderabad police have apprehended eight such individuals actively engaged in the illegal weed business.

Hyderabad: With the law enforcement agencies tightening its grip over the notorious ganja smugglers and peddlers, and trade on other hand being lucrative, a new set of criminals are trying to make their way into the illegal yet ‘profitable’ business.

The emerging trend is of rowdy sheeters, who are basically involved in robberies, murders, dacoities, extortion and property offenses, turning to ganja business. In the last two months, the Hyderabad police caught eight rowdy sheeters who were actively pursuing the weed business.

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In mid May, the Special Team of the Detective Department seized 21 kg of ganja from Syed Sayeed Hussain alias Lamba and his four associates. A notorious chain snatcher Lamba, is involved in more than 250 offenses. “Lamba came in contact with some persons from Nagpur and with help of his associates was smuggling ganja to the city,” said D Bikshapathi, Inspector Special Team.

In April, the Task Force (west) team caught Mohammed Sofiyanuddin (24), a rowdy sheeter of Masab Tank police station, and seized 2 kg of ganja. Sofiyanuddin along with his three other associates brought the ganja from Taj Bagh Darga in Nagpur.

The ganja is routed to Nagpur from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. “Rowdy sheeters while in the jail are coming in contact with ganja smugglers and peddlers. After coming out of the jail, they are sourcing the weed as they see huge money in the business,” said an official of the Task Force.

Ganja is sourced at Rs. 4000 to Rs. 7000 a kg and is sold at a price of Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 25,000 a kg in loose quantity to customers. The huge profits are luring the rowdy sheeters who are no novice to the crime world into the trade. Almost eight of ten rowdy sheeters are addicted to some form of drug abuse.

“Our teams are always keeping a tab on the rowdy sheeters. Hence they are being caught. We are not allowing them to succeed in their new endeavor,” said S Raghavendra, Inspector Task Force.

Recent cases:

May 20: Syed Sayeed Hussain alias Lamba, a chain snatcher and rowdy sheeter and 4 associates caught with 21 kg ganja
April 24: Mohammed Sofiyanuddin, a rowdy sheeter of Masab Tank police station, caught with 2 kg ganja.

April 14: Rowdy sheeter of Chaderghat, Mohd Imran caught with 110 vials of Mephentermine Sulphate injections, 60 alprazolam tablets and 3 kg ganja
April 11: Rowdy sheeter of Tappachabutra, Imran, caught along with 2 associates, 1.5 kg ganja seized

February 24: T Sanjay and T Pavan, rowdy sheeters of Marredpally police station, caught along with 5 others and 8 kg weed.