Hayatnagar police in Rachakonda Commissionerate arrested 10 persons, including two women, allegedly for indulging in smuggling of ganja.
About 470 kilograms of the contraband in brown-taped packages, among other valuables, were seized when their vehicles were intercepted late on Sunday evening, Addl. Commissioner of Police Sudheer Babu told media persons displaying the recovery on Monday.
The two women were associates of the male accused persons, and their role was specific in the escort ‘under the guise of family’.
Mr. Babu said the accused persons, with extensive network and resources, have been involved in transportation of ganja from parts of Andhra Pradesh to various neighbour States for the past few years. The contraband is purchased at around ₹ 3,000 per kg, transported to target locations such as Mumbai and sold at as high as ₹ 20,000 for the same quantity.
On Sunday, the accused persons Cherkupally Srikanth, Sai Nath Chowhan, Sai Ajay, Ravali and Sangeetha visited Donkarai agency area in East Godavari district to meet one Naikram Rahul and procured 470 kgs of ganja from him.
The vehicles loaded with ganja were to reach Mumbai via Hyderabad, and when they stopped on the highway side near Pasumamula to shift the packages to two other cars, Hayatnagar police intercepted their plans and nabbed the accused.
The senior officer also said the accused Srikanth had transported some 100 kgs of ganja from Donkarai to Zaheerabad in the past three weeks and handed it over to another accused transporter Shaik Nawazuddin.
The 10 arrested accused persons were booked under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
