7,000 sedative injections seized, 8 arrested

VISHAKHAPATNAM: Visakhapatnam police during a raid conducted in several places in the city on Thursday arrested eight persons, including a few from West Bengal and seized over 7,000 Pentazocine injections, which are used as psychotropic substances.

The city police also formed special teams to nab some inter-state peddlers and suppliers of the injections.

Revealing details of the raid, commissioner of police Dr C.M. Thrivikram Varma said that based on credible information, the Two-Town police nabbed three persons Boda Srinu, Boda Laxmi and Golla Venkata Sai at a lodge near Allipuram locality in the city and seized Pentazocine lactate injection of 2,050 ampoules in 41 boxes, 21 kgs of dry cannabis, four mobile phones and Rs 7,000 cash from them. The trio procured the injections from Durga Prasad, a native of Kharagpur of West Bengal and they used to sell the injections to youngsters, he added.

In another incident, the same police seized Pentazocine lactate injection of 2,100 ampoules in 42 boxes), 21 kgs of dry ganja, and three mobile phones and nabbed three persons K Hari Padma Raghava, P Ravi and Kata Chireanjeevi at a dilapidated railway quarter near Allipuram in the city. The trio procured the injections from Bimal Kandewal.

Similarly, Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) personnel arrested Guntu Umamahesh and Bevara Venkatesh and seized Pentazocine lactate injection of 3,100 ampoules from the duo at Seethammadhara and Pendurthi localities in the city.

The CP said the accused have been using various sources in parts of Odisha and West Bengal to procure them. In most cases, the peddler procures injections for around Rs 40 per injection and sells them from Rs 60 to Rs 300 each ampoule based on the demand.