VISAKHAPATNAM: The drug peddlers have been changing their modus operandi to escape the police and special bureau dragnet. They have now chosen the e-commerce route to deliver the contraband under the disguise of herbal products. The recent arrest of two persons in Madhya Pradesh has busted a racket, which used e-commerce site Amazon to transport ganja from Vizag.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Saturday, Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) joint director Satish said five persons were arrested in Vizag following credible information given by the Madhya Pradesh police. While four persons were arrested on November 21, one more, son of the key accused Chilapati Srinivasa Rao, was arrested on Friday. Srinivasa Rao was arrested during a vehicle check and ganja was found in his possession. Based on the confession of Srinivasa Rao, 48 kgs of ganja was seized from a rented house in Kancharapalem.
The police also seized Amazon packaging material, including cardboard boxes, Amazon black and grey polythene covers and Amazon tapes from the premises. During the investigation, Srinivasa Rao confessed that he got acquainted with Suraj Pawayia and Mukul Jaiswal both from Madhya Pradesh who have registered themselves as vendors on the Amazon shopping portal. The duo also had a GST number for transport of goods.
With his contacts in Vizag, Srinivasa Rao transported dry ganja from Visakhapatnam to Madhya Pradesh under the guise of selling ‘supernatural stevia leaves’ using the Amazon online platform for almost seven to eight months. They may have transported 600 to 700 kg of ganja using the e-commerce site, Satish said and added further investigation was on to find involvement of anyone else in the later stages of delivery of ganja. Pick-up boys used to collect the ganja packets in cardboard covers from Srinivasa Rao and take them to Gajuwaka, from where they were despatched to Hyderabad distribution point. From Hyderabad, the packets were dispatched to vendors in Madhya Pradesh. They used the GSTIN number to book the parcels.
The SEB joint director said they will investigate the case in coordination with the Madhya Pradesh police. “We are planning to bring Suraj Pawayia and Mukul Jaiswal to Vizag with a PT warrant or Srinivasa Rao will be sent to Madhya Pradesh if the MP police come with a PT warrant. Two pick-up associates and one van driver of the Amazon Kancharapalem First Mile station have been arrested for aiding the peddlers,” he said.
The arrested were identified as Ch Srinivasa Rao, Amazon pick up associates Jeeru Kumaraswamy and Bijjam Krishnam Raju, driver of the pickup van Cheepurpalli Venkateswara Rao and son of Srinivasa Rao Chilakapalli Mohan Raju alias Rakhi. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered in Visakhapatnam circle-IV SEB station.
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