Madhapur police seize 265 kg ganja, arrest 3 drug smugglers from UP

Hyderabad: The Madhapur police busted an interstate ganja smuggling racket and seized 265 kg of ganja on 23 January. They also arrested three drug peddlers.

The arrested persons have been identified as Mohd. Iqbal (35), Sharukh (30), and Salim (29). All three are from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. Besides ganja, the police also seized a truck, cash Rs. 3,200, and two mobile phones, all worth Rs. 55 lakh. Another accused, Babbulal from Koraput in Odisha who cultivates and sells ganja, is absconding.

According to the police, Iqbal was illegally transporting ganja from Odisha to Meerut via Hyderabad and had engaged Sharukh and Salim as drivers. Iqbal had built a secret cabin in the truck, over the top of the driver's cabin, to conceal the drug.

A few days ago, the three men went to Darliput village under Padwa mandal in Koraput, Odisha, and loaded 265 kg of cannabis – 84 small packets weighing about 2 kg each and nine big packets weighing about 10 kg each. They concealed the packets in the secret cabin and the toolbox. They then left for Meerut via Hyderabad. They came to know that police were checking vehicles at ORR exit points so they diverted the truck into the city and parked it at the Hitech City MMTS railway station on 22 January.

After receiving information, the Madhapur police arrested the three men at the Hitech city MMTS parking lot on 23 January and seized the truck and 265 kg ganja. The men told the police that they bought the ganja for Rs. 8,000 per kg and sold it to customers for Rs.15,000 per kg in Meerut.