Posh cars used for drug transit in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Drug smugglers are now switching over to cars for transporting contraband, including cannabis and tobacco products, than using conventional autorickshaws and trucks.

An analysis of the recent catches reported in and around the city points to the change in modus operandi of the smugglers in the last few months. Cabs to high-end cars, the smugglers were using even SUVs to escape the police.

Early this week, Cyberabad police seized tobacco products worth a few lakh rupees being transported in 11 cars into the city. The police had intercepted the cars, following a tip-off that smugglers are using four-wheelers to transport banned tobacco products into the city from adjoining Bidar in Karnataka.

Similarly in February, Hyderabad Commissioner’s Task Force caught 11 persons who were allegedly involved in smuggling cannabis and seized a Skoda and Renault Logan used for transporting the contraband. In February this year, the Special Operations Team (SOT) of Rach-akonda busted a racket and caught two persons who were smuggling ganja in a car. 

In November 2017, the SOT sleuths caught few persons who were transporting cannabis to the city from Bhadrachalam in two cars. The police seized 124 kg of ganja from them.

In July 2017, the Commissioner’s Task Force, East Zone Team,  apprehended three persons and seized a Scorpio and a Wagon-R used for transporting the contraband.

S. Chaitanya Kumar, additional DCP, Commissioner’s Task Force, said that the smugglers adopt new tactics to avoid getting caught. “Right from selecting the mode of transport to wearing decent clothes to avoid suspicion, they adopt various tactics,” he said.

Inspector Naveen Kumar of SOT,  said,” Generally, the police used to focus on auto rickshaws, trolleys and buses in the past as these modes of transport are mainly used for bringing contraband. Nevertheless, following intelligence generated by our personnel we are now detecting new methods,” he said.

Secret chambers to conceal contraband

While notorious and well organised gangs are switching over to SUVs and small cars for transporting ganja, the traditional players are customising the mini trucks and light good carriers to conceal the contraband.

In fact, it is done on an industrial scale, officials working with different law enforcement agencies pointed out, especially in the ganja cultivation belt in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. 

The smugglers install secret compartment in vehicles to hide the contraband. The officials explain that the secret compartments are created in the floor of the trucks or other goods carriers for smuggling the contraband. 

“On the floor, they keep vegetables or other goods to show off. However, when he have specific tip-off, we check the whole vehicle thoroughly and retrieve the contraband,” said an official of Excise department.