ONGOLE: Prakasam district police busted a ganja smuggling racket and arrested three accused on Tuesday.
According to district Superintendent of Police (SP) Siddharth Kaushal, the police were conducting vehicle checks on NH-16, when they searched a Bolero Jeep proceeding towards Ongole from Vijayawada. From the vehicle 200 kg ganja worth `10 lakh was seized.
“Upon seeing the police, three persons aboard the jeep attempted to run away. However, they were caught by the officers. During interrogation, all accused confessed to have committed the crime,” the SP said.
The arrested persons Periya Karuppan Anandan (39), Perumaldevar Eswaran (38) and Jayaram Rajesh Kumar (31), all hail from Kambham village in Uthamapalem mandal of Theni district in Tamil Nadu. They will be produced before the Addanki court, Kaushal said.
“There are similar cases registered against Jayaram Rajesh Kumar at Dindigal Police Station,” the SP said. Police found 120 packets of ganja from the vehicle, which were kept in between the back and middle seats in a moulded shelf.The vehicle was found to bear a fake registration number: AP 31 DM 5131.
A case was filed by the J Panguluru Police under Crime No 106/2019 Offence u/s 420, 466, 467, 471, 474 IPC, Section 20 (b)-(C) R/W Section 8 (b) of the NDPS Act, Sec 191, 192, 192 (A), 196 MV Act. The accused confessed that they purchased the contraband from Darakonda in Visakhapatnam Agency from local people. Circle Inspector N Srikanth Babu, SI of J panguluru PS attended.