Anakapalle Court Sentences Ganja Smugglers to 10 Years Imprisonment

Visakhapatnam: Two ganja smugglers were sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment by the tenth additional district court in Anakapalle on Monday. B. Mahalakshmi Prasad, 52,, alias Prasad, and K. Hema Shankar, 42, both from Rajahmundry, were caught transporting 30 kgs of dry ganja worth Rs. 45 lakh in April 2015.

This marks the fourth instance in recent times where Andhra Pradesh courts have imposed a 10-year jail term under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for ganja smuggling.

Judge N. Srividya also imposed a fine of Rs. 1 lakh each on the convicts.

According to the Anakapalle district police, Prasad and Shankar were apprehended on April 29, 2015, while attempting to transport the ganja from Anakapalle to Hyderabad. Investigations revealed the duo procured the cannabis from remote locations and planned its delivery to Hyderabad. The police successfully presented a strong case against them, leading to their conviction.