Hyderabad: Khammam Excise officials seized 365 kg of prohibited ganja worth Rs 1.82 crore in coordinated operations on Wednesday. Four people were arrested during the 365 kg ganja seizure, according to Deputy Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise V. Somireddy.
Officials from the Bhadradri Excise unit, DTF Kothagudem and Excise Enforcement Khammam took part in the operations. The teams conducted vehicle checks at different locations and intercepted three vehicles linked to the alleged illegal transportation.
The first interception took place around 5 pm near Veerabhadra Function Hall in Bhadrachalam. Bhadradram and Kothagudem officials stopped a Hero motorcycle bearing registration number OD-30-H-1783.
During the inspection, officers found 9 kg of ganja on the motorcycle. They arrested Divakar Mandal, a resident of Kalimela village in Odisha, in connection with the seizure.
Meanwhile, a Hyundai Verna car bearing registration number AP-10-8269 arrived behind the motorcycle. Officers stopped and searched the car during the same operation.
The inspection led to the recovery of 100 kg of ganja from the car. Police arrested Suman Pal, also from Kalimela village in Odisha, for allegedly transporting the prohibited substance.
Officials then followed information provided by the two arrested suspects. Khammam Excise officers reached the Karunagiri petrol bunk, where an Ashok Leyland lorry had reportedly stopped.
365 kg ganja seizure involved three vehicles
Officers searched the Ashok Leyland lorry and found 263.2 kg of ganja inside it. They arrested Rajasekhar Maji and Brijan Sana, both from the Kalimela area of Odisha, during the operation.
According to officials, the four accused were allegedly working as one team. They reportedly used multiple vehicles to transport ganja while attempting to avoid detection by enforcement teams.
However, continuous surveillance by the Excise teams led to the interceptions. Officials subsequently seized the ganja along with three vehicles and five mobile phones.
The department stated that the coordinated action resulted in four arrests. The seized vehicles included the Hero motorcycle, Hyundai Verna car and Ashok Leyland lorry involved in the respective interceptions.
The source reports the overall seizure as 365 kg of ganja valued at Rs 1.82 crore. The individual quantities listed in the three interceptions are 9 kg, 100 kg and 263.2 kg.
Those listed quantities add up to 372.2 kg, while the official overall figure in the source is 365 kg. This report retains both figures as stated rather than reconciling the discrepancy.
Officials from several Excise units participated in the coordinated action. The teams included Kothagudem DTF Inspector Ramadevi, Bhadrachalam Inspector Kishtayya and Khammam Enforcement Inspector Narender Reddy.
Kothagudem DTF officer Saleemullah and Khammam Enforcement Sub-Inspector Srihari Rao also took part in the operations. Other personnel from the respective Excise teams assisted with the vehicle checks and seizures.