Rachakonda cops seize 76kg ganja, arrest 3

The sleuths of the special operations team (SOT), LB Nagar zone, along with the Saroornagar police arrested Sanjeev, Dhabikonda Venkanna Swamy, and Manekar Madhan near Kothapet crossroad under Saroor Nagar police station while they were transporting the ganja from the Sileru agency area of Visakhapatnam district to Hyderabad.

Two accused are absconding.

According to the police, Sanjeev had been staying at his in-law's house in Upper Sileru village under Gudem Kotha Veedhi mandal of Visakhapatnam district for the past two years. About six months ago, he got acquainted with Dhabikonda Venkanna Swamy, a driver.

Meanwhile, Sanjeev Kabiraj recently got acquainted with Manga, also a resident of Sileru village, who was engaged in smuggling ganja. The former now hatched a plan to illegally transport ganja and Manga agreed with the plan. He engaged Dhabikonda Venkanna Swamy and offered to pay him a share in his business.

Sanjeev purchased ganja from Manga and transported it in Venkanna Swamy's car to customers in the surrounding area of Sileru agency. Manga procured the contraband from some persons from the agency areas of Visakhapatnam and Malkangiri in Odisha. She had also introduced her two partners to her customers Manekar Madhan and Ramesh.

On 27 November, according to the orders of Manekar Madhan and Ramesh, Sanjeev and Venkanna Swamy collected 76 kgs of ganja from Manga for Rs. 5,000 per kg, packed it in 37 packets of two kg each, 35 packets of five kg each, and one packet weighing one kg. They loaded the ganja in the car hidden underneath the rear seats and side doors and left Sileru. They were to hand over the drugs to Madhan and Ramesh at Hyderabad for Rs. 10,000 per kg.

On Monday, Sanjeev, Venkanna Swamy, and Manekar Madhan were caught by the SOT LB Nagar team near Kothapet crossroads in possession of the ganja.