Three persons were arrested and a juvenile was detained after the EAGLE Force and Bhadradri Kothagudem police busted an interstate ganja smuggling racket and seized 525 kg of ganja
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Three persons were arrested and a juvenile was detained after the EAGLE Force and Bhadradri Kothagudem police busted an interstate ganja smuggling racket and seized 525 kg of ganja worth an estimated ₹2.62 crore during a joint operation on Tuesday (June 30, 2026).
The arrested accused were identified as the supplier Sahadev Hantal, 20, of Malkangiri district in Odisha, the escort Dogri Thrinadh, 38 of Alluri Sitharama Raju district in Andhra Pradesh, and driver Kuldhip Sharma, 27, of Uttar Pradesh.
According to investigators, Sahadev procured the contraband from the Allurikota forest area in Odisha and arranged for labourers to transport the consignment to Tulasipaka. The narcotic substance was then loaded into a container lorry owned by Mohammed Saif and Firoj Bhai, who police said had modified the vehicle by creating a concealed compartment to hide the contraband and avoid detection during transit.
Police said the consignment was being transported from Tulasipaka in Andhra Pradesh to Uttar Pradesh through Telangana and Maharashtra. A motorcycle was deployed to escort the container lorry throughout the journey.
Acting on a tip-off, the officials kept both vehicles under continuous surveillance from Tulasipaka before intercepting them on Tuesday at the west gate of the ITC Papers Board and Speciality Papers Division in Sarapaka under Burgampad in Bhadradri Kothagudem district.
During the interception, officers recovered 525 kg ganja concealed inside the container lorry. The drugs, estimated to be worth ₹2.62 crore, along with the lorry, escort motorcycle, five mobile phones and cash, were seized.
The alleged receivers of the consignment, identified as Mohammed Saif, Firoj Bhai, Raja Mishra and Mohammed Imran, currently remain at large. Efforts are underway to trace and apprehend them.
A case has been registered at Burgampad police station and further investigation is underway.
EAGLE Force urged citizens, particularly parents and young people, to remain vigilant against drug abuse and trafficking. The agency reiterated its commitment to dismantling narcotics networks and encouraged the public to share information on drug-related activities through its toll-free helpline or other official channels, assuring that the identity of informants would be kept confidential.
Published – June 30, 2026 07:17 pm IST
