Interstate ganja smuggling racket busted, seven held with 400 kg contraband in Patancheru

In a joint operation, the Special Operations Team of Kukatpally Zone and Patancheru police arrested seven members of an interstate ganja smuggling racket and seized 400 kg dry ganja from them as they were transporting the banned contraband through the Outer Ring Road (ORR) near Muthangi on Sunday. Police also seized a trolley truck, an SUV and six mobile phones, all worth ₹2 crore.

The arrested accused were identified as Pratap Haridas Pawar, 24, Anand Mayappa Howal, 34, Balaji Ganesh Honmani, 35, Rohith Howal, 27, Chandan Shipve Audumbar, 46, Ranjeet Rajender Gadage alias Govind, 27, and a 17-year-old juvenile, all residents of Maharashtra. Two other accused, including the alleged receiver from Maharashtra and the supplier from Odisha, are absconding.

According to the police, the racket was allegedly coordinated between the Maharashtra-based receiver and an Odisha-based supplier. Investigators said one of the arrested accused acted as a mediator and arranged transportation of the contraband with the help of the owner of the DCM vehicle.

On May 8, the accused allegedly travelled to Odisha, procured 400 kg of dry ganja and concealed it beneath empty vegetable plastic trays in the trolley truck. The consignment was being transported to Maharashtra with the SUV escorting it when police intercepted the vehicles near Muthangi at about 10 a.m. on Monday, May 11.

Further investigation is underway to trace the absconding accused and identify others involved in the interstate smuggling network.