Andhra Pradesh: Police arrest two with 145 kg of ganja in Vizianagaram district

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], August 3 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh police have arrested two individuals from Andhra Pradesh's Vizianagaram district who were trying to smuggle ganja (cannabis) from Odisha to Kerala. The accused were caught transporting ganja in a car when the L. Kota police intercepted them and seized 71 packets of ganja from them, weighing approximately 145 kgs.
The Police officials said, "Two individuals have been arrested while attempting to smuggle ganja from Odisha to Kerala. The arrests were made by the L. Kota police in the Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh."
District Superintendent of Police Vakul Jindal, IPS, said, "The accused were caught transporting 145 kilograms of ganja in a Bolero vehicle. Acting on a tip-off, police set up a vehicle check at Goljam Junction on August 1st. During the inspection, they intercepted the Bolero vehicle, bearing registration number KL 10 P 9473, and recovered 71 packets containing ganja."
The two accused have been identified as Dambu Shiragam alias Krishna, a 21-year-old from Kudub village in Paduwa mandal, Koraput district of Odisha and Mohammed Shafiq, aged 36, from Husanagali village in Manjevaram mandal, Kasaragod district of Kerala.
As per investigations, the ganja was procured in Odisha by accused Dambu Shiragam and was being transported to Kerala on the instructions of another accused, Abubakar Siddique, also from Husanagali in Kerala. Police have launched a search to apprehend Siddique, who is currently absconding.
Police said that the seized ganja and vehicle have been taken into custody, and the arrested individuals have been remanded. SP Vakul Jindal stated that a financial investigation is underway, and a case has been registered under the NDPS Act. Authorities are also considering invoking the Preventive Detention (PD) Act against the accused. Further investigation is ongoing.
Earlier, on July 3, the Andhra Pradesh Government's special wing, the Elite Anti-Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (EAGLE), intensified operations on trains arriving from Odisha, leading to the seizure of over 21,736 kilograms of ganja in the past six months, officials said.
Inspector General Ake Ravi Krishna told ANI, "We are thoroughly monitoring and checking all trains originating from Odisha. Over the last six months, we have seized 21,736 kilograms of ganja. A majority of the ganja is being transported from Odisha, which is why we are focusing more on trains from that region." (ANI)