HYDERABAD: Based on a tip-off from the Intelligence Wing of Telangana Police, Rachakonda police on Monday busted an interstate ganja smuggling racket operating between Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai in Maharashtra.
Over one tonne of the banned drug was seized and three persons were arrested for being involved in the racket. While the accumulated cost of the seized items is estimated to be around Rs 2 crore, the cops also seized three vehicles and other items used for the smuggling.
The kingpin of the racket Shaik Yaseen of Hyderabad and two others Ravinder and Madhu are absconding while Thanniru Santhosh, Suguru Vasudeva Reddy and Ponnam Rajeshwar have been arrested, said Rachakonda commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat. The arrested trio and the other accused are close acquaintances of Yaseen.
Peddlers held after chase
Suryapet district police on Monday arrested two persons for allegedly smuggling ganja from Vizag to Mumbai. Police found the accused, in an attempt to evade police, instead of taking the route via Hyderabad, took a diversion near Suryapet. The police seized 50 kg of ganja from them.