VISAKHAPATNAM: The Nathavaram police in Anakapalle district on Friday arrested eight people, including a woman software engineer, for allegedly supplying high-quality Sheelavathi strain ganja from Narsipatnam to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
Police said it was the first time ganja from the Andhra–Odisha border had been smuggled to Sri Lanka. The arrested woman, identified as Gade Renuka, 28, a Bengaluru-based software professional and native of Santhakaviti in Vizianagaram district, was described as the “lady don” of the operation.
Renuka, along with her associate Surya Kalidas, rented a house in Narsipatnam to procure ganja from Odisha and distribute it to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
Acting on credible information, police teams from Narsipatnam rural and Nathavaram stations intercepted the gang near Srugavaram village and seized 74 kg of dry ganja, a car, two motorcycles and mobile phones.Investigators said Renuka and Kalidas worked with middleman Adduri Prasad, who sourced ganja from tribals A Ravi Kumar, O Lalitha Kumari and P Mani Kumari.
The tribals purchased the contraband from Balimala and Chintrakonda areas of Odisha at about Rs 5,000 per kg. The supply chain was completed by Madhan Kumar and driver Naga Muttu, who transported the ganja to Rajanagaram on the highway before it was moved to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
Police said Renuka had earlier been involved in ganja smuggling under Payakaraopeta, Narsipatnam, Saluru and Bengaluru limits. Authorities warned that strict action would continue against cross-border narcotics networks.