Hyderabad: Railway police and RPF officials busted an Odisha Surat ganja smuggling racket at Secunderabad Railway Station and seized 17.909 kilograms of dry ganja worth Rs.8.95 lakh.
Officials arrested one accused and apprehended a juvenile during joint surprise checks conducted by Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force personnel on May 8.
Police registered a case under Sections 8(c) read with 20(b)(ii)(B) of the NDPS Act and Section 78 of the Juvenile Justice Act.
The arrested accused was identified as Deepak Swain, 24, a labourer currently residing in Surat, Gujarat. He originally belongs to Kodala village in Odisha’s Ganjam district.
Officials also apprehended a 16-year-old boy from Odisha in connection with the case.
Odisha Surat ganja smuggling route passed through Secunderabad
Meanwhile, police identified Rajesh Kumar of Odisha’s Ganjam district as the main ganja supplier. He remains absconding.
According to investigators, Rajesh Kumar allegedly offered Rs.7,000 for each ganja packet transported from Odisha to Surat.
Police said Deepak Swain and the juvenile recently visited their native village in Odisha. During the visit, Rajesh Kumar allegedly persuaded them to transport ganja because of financial difficulties.
As instructed, the duo allegedly collected ganja packets from the Phulbani forest area on May 7. Police said the contraband was packed inside two trolley suitcases.
Deepak Swain allegedly carried one trolley bag containing five packets, while the juvenile carried another suitcase containing four packets.
Officials said both boarded Visakha Express from Odisha and travelled to Secunderabad with plans to continue to Surat later.
After learning that the Surat-bound train would arrive only at night, they reportedly waited at the general waiting hall at Secunderabad station.
Police personnel apprehended them during inspections at around 7.20 am on May 8 and seized the ganja packets.
IRP B. Saieashwar Goud, SIRP T. Madhav and other GRP personnel carried out the operation along with RPF officials Bhavani Shankar Saraswat and B.N. Singh.
IPS officer Sandeep, in-charge Superintendent of Railway Police, and DSRP S.N. Jawed supervised the operation.