One person arrested with cannabis worth Rs 2.27 crore in Hyderabad

Representational Picture

On May 26, 2019, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized over 1,100 kg of ganja worth over Rs 2.27 crore at Vijayawada. One person was arrested in this connection, the agency said on Sunday. The seizure was made on May 24 when the DRI officers, acting on specific intelligence, intercepted a cargo vehicle and searched it at Vijayawada, in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh state.

The DRI seized 1,137.30 kg of ganja valued at Rs 2,27,46,000 being transported illegally under the cover of a bulk cargo of Phosphogypsum to Hyderabad, a release from the DRI Hyderabad Zonal Unit said. The narcotic substance was seized under the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 and one person arrested in this, it said adding further investigation was in progress.

In a similar incident that took place in April 2019, a Russian couple was arrested for allegedly growing and possessing cannabis plants by the Crime Branch of the state police.

"Grigorii Fomenko, 32, and his wife Viktoriia Fomenko, 29, were arrested from their rented premises in Siolim Anjuna. They were growing cannabis plants in flower pots," said Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch, Pankaj Kumar Singh.

In a raid conducted on their rented premises, the police seized 118 gm ganja, 380 gm stem of cannabis and other proscribed material, he said. The couple had arrived in India in November last year on a tourist visa, which was valid up to April 18, 2019.

In another incident, officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 1121.5 kilograms of cannabis, valued around Rs 1 crore 68 lakhs, from a Sholapur-bound truck in Hyderabad. Officials intercepted the truck at Panthangi Toll Plaza on Vijayawada-Hyderabad National Highway.

After searching the vehicle, officials found 546 high-density polyethylene (HDPE) packages wrapped with biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) self-adhesive tape weighing more than a ton of Cannabis, also known as Ganja. The said Narcotic drug and the truck which was used for concealment and transportation of the contraband was seized under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

DRI officials have also arrested three persons, including the mastermind in the case.

With inputs from PTI

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