Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh – In a major crackdown on interstate drug trafficking, Srikakulam police arrested two smugglers and seized 209 kg of ganja during a routine vehicle check on Thursday.
According to Superintendent of Police G. Lakshmanarao, the seizure took place around 3:30 p.m. when Laveru sub-inspector and the Etcherla police station in-charge stopped a suspicious vehicle. Upon spotting the police, the suspects attempted to flee but were soon apprehended.
Police found 208.7 kg of ganja neatly packed in 40 packets, along with a mobile phone in their possession. The arrested accused were identified as:
Suneel (38)
Vishal (29)
Both are residents of Uttar Pradesh.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the duo was transporting the contraband from Lamtaput village in Koraput district, Odisha, to Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. To avoid detection, they had charted a complex route via Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Khammam, Warangal, and Nagpur.
Police have also identified three absconding suspects:
Gourav – From Dogut, Baghpat district (UP), alleged receiver and owner of a hotel in Meerut
Samara Matam (aka Domburu, Dumuru, or Gopal) – From Lamtaput, Koraput district (Odisha)
Unidentified accomplice of Samara Matam – Allegedly acted as a route pilot
A case has been registered at Etcherla police station, and efforts are underway to trace and apprehend the remaining accused.
