Khammam: 365 kg ganja worth Rs 1.82 cr seized, 3 arrested

Officials first seized nine kilograms of ganja from an individual travelling on a motorcycle.

Hyderabad: Khammam Excise teams arrested three natives of Odisha and seized a total of 365 kilograms of ganja valued at 1.82 crore.

Joint inspection teams from the Kothagudem and Bhadrachalam District Task Forces, alongside Khammam Excise units, intercepted three vehicles transporting ganja from Odisha to Maharashtra near the Veerabhadra Function Hall in Bhadrachalam, according to a press release on Wednesday, September 30.

During the checks, they first seized nine kilograms of ganja from an individual travelling on a motorcycle. The officials seized both the bike and the ganja from an Odisha native identified as Diwakar Mandal. The Excise team inspected a car as well, suspecting it was following the motorcycle. It discovered an additional 100 kg of ganja inside the car.

Suman Paul, a 22-year-old electrician from Odisha, was taken into custody in connection with the case. During interrogation, the accused revealed that a lorry was also carrying narcotic substances, providing investigators with a new lead.

A subsequent search of a lorry stationed at Karunagiri led to the seizure of 263.2 kg of ganja. Two individuals found in the lorry, Rajasekhar Margi, also aged 22, and cleaner Brijan Nasa, 20, were taken into custody. Both accused were identified as natives of Odisha, with the lorry registered in Odisha as well.

A total of 365 kg of ganja was seized from these three vehicles, said Khammam District Deputy Commissioner Somireddy, adding that the seized drugs were worth Rs 1.82 crore.