Woman Techie Held for Ganja Smuggling

Visakhapatnam: A woman software engineer was among eight persons arrested by the Nathavaram police in Anakapalle district for smuggling high-quality Sheelavathi strain cannabis from the Andhra–Odisha border to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.

Police identified the woman as Gade Renuka (28), a software professional based in Bengaluru and a native of Santhakaviti in Vizianagaram district. Investigators said she was allegedly operating as a key organiser in the cannabis trade and was active in areas under Payakaraopeta, Narsipatnam, Saluru and Bengaluru police station limits.

According to police, this is the first instance where ganja sourced from the Andhra–Odisha border was found being smuggled towards Sri Lanka. Renuka, along with her associate Surya Kalidas, had rented a house in Narsipatnam to procure cannabis from parts of Odisha and arrange its supply to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.

The gang was nabbed near Srungavaram village in Nathavaram mandal while transporting 74 kg of dry cannabis in a car. Police seized the ganja-laden car, two motorcycles and mobile phones.

Investigations revealed that the gang procured cannabis through middleman Adduri Prasad from tribal suppliers, including A. Ravi Kumar, O. Lalitha Kumari and P. Mani Kumari, who sourced the contraband from Balimala and Chitrakonda areas of Odisha at ₹5,000 per kg.

The cannabis was transported by drivers Madhan Kumar and Naga Muttu to Rajanagaram, a key highway junction, from where it was routed to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Further investigation is under way.