EAGLE Dismantles Major Interstate Ganja Trafficking Network; 2 Held

The operation is one of the largest and most precise anti-drug actions of 2025, targeting a supply corridor running from Malkangiri in Odisha to Uttar Pradesh via Telangana and Karnataka, the police said. The team got intelligence about an Uttar Pradesh-registered SUV pick-up carrying a massive ganja consignment from Odisha and expected to pass through Thondapalli village in Shamshabad, on the Bangalore National Highway between 3 pm and 6 pm.

By 1 pm, a team was deployed with surveillance vehicles, weighing equipment, packing materials, and documentation tools. At 5 pm, the suspect vehicle was intercepted at Shamshabad and two individuals were found inside — later identified as Khilla Dhana and Rajendar Bajing, both residents of Malkangiri district, Odisha.

EAGLE Director Sandeep Shandilya said the investigation exposed a tightly knit trafficking chain. Ramesh Sukri, who is absconding, operated as the central coordinator from Malkangiri, linked to both arrested accused through their village network.

His associate, Jagadish Kuldeep, procured bulk ganja from cultivators like Shibo alias Shiba and Basu in remote forest areas. The syndicate’s primary buyer, Shaffiq alias Shafi from Uttar Pradesh, placed large-volume orders, provided advance vehicles with UP registration, and handled payments through couriers or layered transfers to obscure the trail.

Ten days before the bust, Shaffiq travelled to Rajahmundry to personally hand over the SUV pick-up to Ramesh, instructing that it be loaded with 800 kg of ganja and delivered to UP by handing over at Shamshabad.

Ramesh split the order — 600 kg from Shibo and 200 kg from Basu — with Rs.2 lakh advanced to Khilla Dhana to secure the second lot. To reduce risk, Ramesh engaged Rajendar as co-driver, promising Rs.10,000 for his role.

The syndicate’s method was precise - ganja was first moved in small loads from fields to safe village outskirts, then repacked in HDPE bags containing brown-tape-wrapped packets to mask odour. Uniform packaging allowed rapid loading into the vehicle. Drivers used Bangalore NH and ORR bypasses to avoid checkpoints.

Handovers were arranged at city outskirts to minimise exposure. Communication was restricted to basic feature phones with fresh SIMs, discarded after trips. For security, Khilla carried a 23-inch sword hidden among the bags.

This system had allowed the syndicate to complete multiple large deliveries without interception - until the EAGLE action ended their run. The team seized 847 kg of ganja in 26 HDPE bags, SUV, two mobile phones and a sword from the arrested persons.

The crackdown has crippled a major ganja supply route to north India and efforts were underway for absconders Ramesh Sukri, Jagadish Kuldeep, Shibo alias Shiba, Basu, and Shaffiq. Financial investigation and property attachment proceedings will be initiated under the NDPS Act and BNSS.