Hyderabad: A joint operation by the Special Operations Team (SOT) Malkajgiri and Ghatkesar Police busted an inter-state drug racket and seized 5.1 kg of hashish oil valued at Rs. 1.15 crore, police officials said on Friday.
Officers arrested a 17-year-old boy from Alluri Sitarama Raju district, Andhra Pradesh, while he was transporting the contraband from Odisha to Hyderabad. The juvenile was intercepted at Ghatkesar railway station with the hashish oil concealed in a backpack.
Police said the accused had obtained the drugs from Debendra Jhodia alias Srinu of Chitrakonda, Odisha, who had fled and remained absconding at the time of the report. Investigators estimated that preparing 1 kg of hashish oil required 40–50 kg of ganja, and they registered a case under the NDPS Act at Ghatkesar Police Station.
The boy’s arrest revealed that he was a school dropout who had been lured into the trade with promises of easy money. He told the investigators that Jhodia had recruited him to transport consignments across State lines. The police identified the juvenile both as an accused in transit and as a vulnerable recruit exploited by the main suspect.
Inter-state drug racket: probe details and seizure
Field officers led a coordinated recovery that netted 5.1 kg of processed hashish oil. The seizure came after intelligence indicated movement of narcotics from Chitrakonda in Odisha to multiple destinations including Hyderabad. The confiscated material was weighed and catalogued at the scene before being taken into evidence.
Authorities cautioned the public about the health hazards associated with hashish oil, listing nausea, sensory distortion, cardiovascular problems, depression, and possible brain damage among the risks. They also reiterated legal consequences under the NDPS Act, noting that offences can attract imprisonment up to 10 years and that Section 31A carries provisions for the death penalty in specified cases.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of G. Sudheer Babu, Commissioner of Police, Rachakonda. Senior officers guiding the action included P.V. Padmaja, DCP Malkajgiri; A. Ramana Reddy, DCP SOT‑I (Malkajgiri and Bhongir); and N. Narsimha Reddy, ADCP SOT‑I. The field team was led by Inspector P. Chandra Sekhar Reddy and SIP P. Vasudev of SOT Malkajgiri, alongside M. Balaswamy, Inspector Ghatkesar.
Police said efforts were continuing to locate and apprehend Debendra Jhodia alias Srinu, the alleged main supplier, and to map the wider network that facilitated transport and distribution across State borders. Officials urged citizens to report suspicious activity to help build a drug‑free society.