In a first, firearms recovered from ganja gang, as cops bust two interstate rings

Hyderabad: Special Operations Teams (SOTs) of the Cyberabad police busted two interstate marijuana-smuggling rings in unrelated incidents, from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, in the city and recovered firearms, live ammunition and over 12 quintals of the illicit substance.

“It is the first time finding a weapon with a ganja gang in the state. This indicates they are getting more dangerous. These gangs are becoming more serious and might use violence to protect their illegal business. We are taking precautionary measures,” said Cyberabad police commissioner M. Stephen Raveendra.

“The first gang belongs to Uttar Pradesh and the second gang is from Maharashtra. A total of seven members, ganja weighing over 12 quintals and vehicles used for transportation, all worth over Rs. 3 crore, was seized,” he said.

In the first instance, the Medchal SOT and Dundigal police arrested four persons and seized 508 kilograms of ganja from them on the ORR at Dundigal. The accused were identified as Mohammed Inam, Banti Kashyap, Lalith Kumar Kashyap and Mohammed Saad. They are alleged to have procured ganja from a supplier named Subhash, who is absconding, and were to deliver it to one Bablu Shinde, who is also missing, in Solapur of Maharashtra. The gang was carrying a firearm and bullets to handle any trouble during the transportation, the police said.

In the second instance, the Madhapur SOT and Narsingi police arrested two persons, Vishal Chandrakanth Shinde and Sagar Bhaban Deshmukh, at Manchirevula and seized 720 kilograms of ganja from them. They concealed ganja in a custom-made compartment in a DCM van and further stacked vegetable crates on the compartment to cover it up, the police said.  

The police said that Deshmukh, and the main supplier, Rahman, of Andhra Pradesh, masterminded the operation, with Shinde acting as the driver and Deshmukh as the cleaner of the vehicle. The gangs purchased ganja for Rs.3,000 per kilogram and were planning to sell it at Rs. 20,000 per kilogram, the police said.