Hyderabad: Rachakonda police arrested eight members of an inter-state ganja smuggling gang and seized around 100 kg of the stuff from their possession. The suspects were identified as G. Jogender (40), a coolie, Devidas Powar (24), a trader, Ganga Kaveri (33) a farmer, Milar Hyder (21), working at a sweet shop, T. Pavan Kumar Rao (23), a daily wage earner, Dharamsingh Das (22), a driver, Durga Prasad Goud (21), a daily wage earner and Vivek Mandal (21), a farmer. Another suspect, Raju, is absconding.
Police commissioner Mahesh Bhagawat said this is the fourth major drug haul in less than a year within Rachakonda limits. Jogender and Powar were arrested earlier for smuggling ganja in AP and put in Rajamahendravaram central prison, he said, adding that during their imprisonment, they became close friends and hatched a plan to sell the drug after their release from prison on bail. They contacted their friends after release and planned to sell ganja in different parts.
“Jogender would supply ganja at Rs 4,000 per kg to Powar who would give it to peddlers in Solapur in Maharashtra for up to Rs 8000 with the help of Raju who is absconding," said the commissioner.
On Wednesday, Vanas-thalipuram traffic personnel on patrolling duty noticed two SUVs moving suspiciously near Bongulru Gate in Adibhatla area and alerted Adibhatla police. The vehicles were searched and police found the ganja concealed in bags.
“Around 100 kg packed in 25 pouches weighing 4 kg each were recovered from the vehicles. Since March 2016, we have bust three major inter-state smuggling rackets and seized more than 3.6 tonnes of ganja,” the commissioner added.
In July 2016, around 2,016 kg was seized and eight persons arrested in Hayathnagar while in June 2016, there was a seizure of 1,448.9 kg for which eight persons were arrested in Adibhatla. In March 2017, four persons were arrested and 178 kg ganja was seized.
