Eight arrested with nearly 16 kg ganja across raids in Hyderabad

Eight people were arrested on Saturday in a series of coordinated raids by officials from Telangana Excise and Prohibition Department across Hyderabad. Nearly 16 kg of ganja and 39 non-duty paid liquor bottles were seized by the officials.

In the largest haul of the day, the Rangareddy enforcement team seized 11 kg of ganja valued at approximately ₹5.5 lakh near Cherlapally railway station after receiving information that the contraband was being transported from Odisha.

The official said that the acccused, Pushpala Varun, a resident of Mallapur, had allegedly travelled to Rayagada district in Odisha, purchased the substance and brought it back by train. He was apprehended as he attempted to disembark and head towards Mallapur. The seized ganja was later handed over at the Ghatkesar excise station for further probe.

In a separate operation, the State Task Force (STF) B team arrested a couple, Suraj and Rupa from Malkangiri district of Odisha, who were carrying 3 kg of ganja intended for suppliers in Hyderabad.

Acting on a tip-off, the team intercepted the bus arriving from Odisha at the LB Nagar junction and recovered two packets of ganja from the couple’s bags. The contraband was handed over to the Saroornagar excise station.

Meanwhile, STF D team conducted a raid at a boys’ hostel in Addagutta, KPHB, where 423 gm of ganja was seized from a man identified as Medari Arun Kumar of Zaheerabad in Sangareddy.

Officials said that another accused, identified as Santosh, was absconding. The seized substance was handed over to the Kukatpally excise station for further probe.

At Manguru Basti near Nampally railway station in Mallepally, the STF-A team arrested four people after seizing 1.5 kg of ganja.

The accused were identified as C. Mangaraj, Saddam Khan, K. Radha and L. Aarti. Three mobile phones and an auto bike were also recovered.

Cases were registered against four others, including Mohammed Rizwan, Heena Begum, Gausia and Kamrerohitulu, who are currently absconding. The seized materials were handed over to the Nampally excise station.

The STF-A team which seized 38 bottles of non-duty paid liquor that had been brought into Hyderabad on flights from Goa and Delhi.
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By Arrangement

In addition to the narcotics cases, the STF-A team seized 38 bottles of non-duty paid liquor that had been brought into Hyderabad on flights from Goa and Delhi. The bottles, booked in two separate cases, were intercepted near Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad and handed over to the Meerpet excise station.