The Tirupati Urban sleuths seized a huge haul of Ganja illegally transported under the garb of jackfruit from Odisha to Chittoor on Wednesday and arrested seven persons in this connection. At 1,064 kg estimated to be worth ₹1 crore, this is said to be the largest seizure of Ganja in the police district so far.
The contraband was being smuggled in a truck bearing registration number AP05 V 1221, hidden under a load of jackfruit, with a sedan car (AP05 DB 7737) moving ahead as a pilot for providing road clearance. When the vehicle was stopped at Ramachandrapuram junction on Puthalapattu-Naidupeta highway as part of routine checking, both the vehicles attempted to flee the spot and stopped at a distance. When the inmates tried to run away, they were intercepted by the alert cops. Srinivasulu (45), Veera Babu (30), Vempa Sridevi (35), Pattem Sekhar (24), who acted as the pilots for the stock, car driver Janapureddy Ramkumar (30), truck drivers Shaik Khaja Hussain (45) and Shaik Hussain Alam (27) were arrested, while three more are on the run.
Producing the contraband and the accused at a media conference here on Thursday, Superintendent of Police (Tirupati Urban) Avula Ramesh Reddy said the stock in 36 bags was loaded in Mamilla agency area, to be handed over to Kumar Raja of M.Bandapalle village in Puthalapattu mandal of Chittoor district. Hinting at the presence of regular Ganja smugglers and dispensing outlets targetting college students in the city, Mr. Reddy warned that those under the department’s surveillance would be caught soon.
