Ganja worth ₹1.32 crore seized on Pune-Nashik highway; two arrested

The duo has been identified as Ram Vyankat Pitale, 25, from Uruli Devachi; and Shreyas Pradip Chavan, 21, from Hadapsar

In a crackdown on drug trafficking, the anti-narcotics cell of the Pimpri-Chinchwad police has seized a massive 264 kg of Ganja (Cannabis) from a tempo intercepted on the Pune-Nashik highway, and arrested two individuals in connection with the case. The incident was reported in the early hours of July 14.

Assistant police inspector Swapnil Chavan and his team were patrolling when police hawaldar Javed Bagsiraj received a tipoff regarding a tempo ferrying Ganja. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Assistant police inspector Swapnil Chavan and his team were patrolling when police hawaldar Javed Bagsiraj received a tipoff regarding a tempo ferrying Ganja. Accordingly, a trap was laid at Alandi Phata on the Pune-Nashik highway and the police intercepted a suspicious-looking tempo only to find and seize 264 kg of Ganja valued at ₹13,211,300. The tempo was impounded and two persons were arrested on the spot.

The duo has been identified as Ram Vyankat Pitale, 25, from Uruli Devachi; and Shreyas Pradip Chavan, 21, from Hadapsar. Preliminary interrogation has revealed that the duo was ferrying the Ganja from another state into Maharashtra and intended to distribute it across various locations in the state.

Shashikant Mahavarkar, joint commissioner, Pimpri-Chinchwad police, said, “We have seized Ganja worth ₹1.32 crore by arresting two individuals. This is one of the biggest actions against Ganja in Pimpri-Chinchwad. We are hoping more arrests will be made in this case. Considering further investigation, we cannot disclose certain things at this stage.”

An FIR has been registered at the Chakan police station under sections 8(C), 20(B)(ii)(C), and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The accused have been remanded to police custody for further questioning.