Hyderabad: 41 kg ganja worth Rs 20.5 lakh seized from bus; 3 held

The EAGLE Force of Telangana Police seized 41.01 kg of ganja worth Rs 20.5 lakh from a private bus in Hyderabad. Three bus staff members from Odisha were apprehended, while two others, including the receiver, are absconding.

The Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) Force of the Telangana Police seized 41.01 kilograms of ganja from a private travels bus in Hyderabad and apprehended three people in connection with the case, officials said.

According to the EAGLE Force, the operation was carried out on July 11 in Auto Nagar by the Rachakonda Narcotics Police Station team with assistance from the Regional Narcotics Control Cell (RNCC), Khammam. The ganja, worth around Rs 20.5 lakh, was recovered from a Baba Bholonath Travels bus registered in Odisha. Officials also seized the bus and four mobile phones.

Three Bus Staff from Odisha Held

The apprehended individuals were identified as Laxman Kurami (22), a bus helper from Malkangiri; Komala Khil (32), the driver from Koraput; and Bubu Madakami (33), the conductor from Malkangiri, all from Odisha. Two accused are absconding--Nubin, a resident of Malkangiri in Odisha, and an unidentified receiver in Hyderabad.

During questioning, the accused said they had agreed to transport the ganja from Odisha to Hyderabad for a commission and were to hand it over to a contact in the city. A case has been registered at the Rachakonda Narcotics Police Station, and further investigation is underway.

Recurring Issue with Private Buses

The EAGLE Force said this is the third case in recent months involving private bus staff allegedly transporting ganja. Earlier, on May 21, the agency had seized 21 kg of ganja from another private bus travelling from Malkangiri to Hyderabad and arrested four bus staff members. Officials urged private bus operators to ensure their vehicles are not misused for drug smuggling.

Interstate Ganja Network Busted in Separate Operation

Meanwhile, the EAGLE Force with NCB Raipur also busted an interstate ganja trafficking network, nabbing one accused and seizing 385 kilograms of ganja near the Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border after a seven-day surveillance operation. The accused was tracked at Jeypore, Odisha, and was intercepted before reaching Maharashtra and Rajasthan. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)