The G.K Veedhi Circle Police arrested five men, including two inter-State smugglers, who were allegedly involved in transporting ganja from Visakhapatnam to Maharashtra, at Sileru area in Alluri Sitharamaraju district on Saturday.

The arrested were identified as Killo Ganeswara Rao (33) and Korra Muni (34) of Kammrithota village, Darakonda Panchayat, Irfan Ahmed Rapek Sheikh (37) and Santosh Balu Chakranarayan (19) of Maharashtra, Dharam Beer (40) of Panipat, Haryana.

Two more prime accused Dileep Ingoli of Maharashtra and S. Satya Murthy (37) from Kammrithota are yet to be arrested in the case.

The police have seized 72 kg ganja from them, apart from a ganja packing machine, ₹1,400 cash and mobile phones.

Additional SP of Chintapalli D. Tushar said that main accused Dileep used to come to the Agency to procure ganja and shift it to Maharashtra. He had sent Irfan and Santosh Babu now to meet Killo Ganeswara Rao to collect the ganja. The duo from Maharashtra met Dharam Beer. They had gone to Kammarithota on August 2 and stayed there for three days. They were given 72 kg ganja, which they packed using a machine and left to their native places. Based on credible information, the police teams nabbed the accused, says the Additional SP.

Mr. Tushar said that a strict watch has been kept on the movement of inter-State smugglers in the Agency. Last month, six people from G.K Veedhi were rescued from the clutches of Maharashtra-based ganja smuggler, he reminded. He also appealed locals not to support such inter-State smugglers, failing which action would be taken against them as per law.

Sub-Inspector of Sileru J. Ramakrishna and others were present.

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Printable version | Aug 6, 2022 8:50:45 pm | https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/andhra-pradesh-five-persons-arrested-72-kg-ganja-seized-in-asr-district/article65737441.ece