CHENNAI: A total of 300 kg of ganja worth `30 lakh reportedly smuggled from Andhra Pradesh was seized by the city police during a routine vehicle-check near Red Hills on Thursday.
Two men were arrested and the car used to transport the narcotics was also seized. The contraband was bound for Madurai for retail sale.
N Pandiarajan (27) of Kadavur and M Karthikeyan (35) of Goripalayam, both from Madurai, were hired to transport the ganja for a sum of `10,000. They were reportedly given a vehicle fare of `20,000 plus diesel by a major drug-peddler operating from Usilampatti.
The Chevrolet Tavera, bearing the registration number AP 03 BA 9068, was intercepted around 7.30 am by the patrol team along the Grand Northern Trunk (GNT) Road. Ten gunny bags each stuffed with 30 kg of ganja were found in the vehicle.
The car driver Pandiarajan and the other occupant Karthikeyan pleaded innocence and said they were acting only as couriers. However, they were remanded in judicial custody. Red Hills Police are investigating.