140 kg of ganja worth Rs 70 lakh seized in Vijayawada, two held

Vijayawada: In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, police under the NTR district commissionerate foiled an attempt to transport a large quantity of ganja through Vijayawada and arrested two lorry drivers. The operation led to the seizure of 140 kilograms of ganja valued at approximately Rs 70 lakh.

The arrests were made during a vehicle inspection drive conducted by police and EAGLE teams in the Nidamanuru area under the Patamata police station limits. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, officers intercepted a lorry and discovered bags containing ganja concealed inside the vehicle. Based on information gathered during the investigation, police detained another driver and uncovered the larger smuggling network.

The accused have been identified as Selvam (39) and Pradeep (36), both residents of Tamil Nadu and employed as lorry drivers. Preliminary investigation revealed that the duo was transporting the contraband from Odisha to Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Police said the drivers allegedly agreed to move the ganja in exchange for money while transporting commercial cargo.

Apart from the ganja, police also seized the lorry used in the transportation. Authorities revealed that three more suspects linked to the racket, hailing from Odisha and Kerala, are currently absconding. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest them.

Police officials said the seizure is part of intensified efforts to make Andhra Pradesh a drug-free state. Special surveillance and coordinated operations against narcotics trafficking are continuing across the state to curb the movement, sale and distribution of illegal drugs.