Maha gang busted with 208 kg ganja from AP drug hub

Hyderabad: In a joint operation, TS-Narcotics Bureau (TS-NAB) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have caught an inter-state gang while they were allegedly transporting 208 kg of ganja, concealed in a secret compartment in a lorry, at Jadcherla. The five arrested persons are from Osmanabad in Maharashtra. It was the second major drug bust on Saturday. Two inter-state gangs were nabbed in separate cases, one at Abdullapurmet and another at Pochampally, and six persons were arrested. Police seized 270 kg of ganja. Addressing a a press conference on Sunday, TS-NAB investigators said the gang members — Raju Ramdas, Balaji Arjun Kale, Nikhil Nandakumar Ghawali, Madhukar Arjun Kale and Sanjay Ravindra Chowhan — were using an SUV as a pilot for the lorry which was transporting the contraband. “The main accused, Hasan, who is also from Osmanabad, is absconding. He cut a deal with Raju to transport ganja from Parvathipuram in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh to Pune in Maharashtra,” TS-NAB superintendent of police (West) D Sunitha Reddy said. Hasan offered to pay 2 lakh to Raju if he accomplished the task. “Raju procured a lorry to transport ganja. Later, they modified the vehicle in Maharashtra with a secret compartment on the top of the lorry engine for concealing ganja, which could hold 250 kg of ganja. He also procured a car for piloting the lorry,” police said. Based on a tip off, the officials intercepted the two vehicles at Jadcherla in Mahabubnagar district on Saturday. Raju, Balaji and Nikhil were seated in the car to track if there was any police checks on the route. Their car was maintaining a safe distance of 20 km. On the instructions of Hasan, Raju and others went to Parvathipuram and collected the consignment. It was during the return journey, the accused were nabbed. Apart from the contraband, police also seized the SUV and the lorry.