NCB seizes marijuana worth ₹21 crore, 3 held

In this case, the gunny bags were concealed under tarpaulin sheets and covered by varieties of nursery saplings in large quantities in the truck. “It was difficult to detect the contraband,” the statement said.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Sunday said that it busted an inter-state drug racket near a toll booth on Hyderabad ring road and seized 3,400 kg of marijuana, with an approximate on-street selling price of ₹21 crores. Three persons have been arrested in connection with the case, zonal director of the NCB (Bengaluru zone) Amit Ghawate said in a statement.

The bust comes at a time when Karnataka has been heavily cracking down on narcotics in its continued war on drugs that continues to seep into India’s IT capital and other large cities through intricate networks and innovative ways to avoid detection. (PTI)

“Based on specific intelligence developed by NCB Bangalore, a joint team of NCB Bangalore and Hyderabad on August 28 seized a truck having Maharashtra registration and arrested three persons near (the) toll booth on Hyderabad ring road. On thorough examination, it was found that 3400 kg of ganja was concealed into the truck. It was packed systematically in 141 gunny bags,” he said on Sunday.

The bust comes at a time when Karnataka has been heavily cracking down on narcotics in its continued war on drugs that continues to seep into India’s IT capital and other large cities through intricate networks and innovative ways to avoid detection.

In this case, the gunny bags were concealed under tarpaulin sheets and covered by varieties of nursery saplings in large quantities in the truck. “It was difficult to detect the contraband,” the statement added.

At least three people, who are suspected to be from Latur district in neighbouring Maharastra were arrested.

The law enforcement authorities and other drug control agencies have been using one seizure to get information on more such operations to dismantle a large web of networks.

“This operation was developed out of earlier operations, wherein seizure of a total quantity of 3,992 kg of ganja was affected resulting in the arrest of 16 persons and subsequent busting of 3 separate ganja trafficking networks,” according to the statement.

There is also an alleged “kingpin” for this particular consignment is based out of Maharashtra, the NCB said. The source of the contraband is the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha border.

The narcotics detection agency said that these drugs are peddled in various colleges, parties, individuals and other places through an elaborate ground network.

“During the year 2020, a total quantity of 1,971 kg of ganja was seized, resulting in the arrest of 8 persons. This year, by the end of August 2021, a total quantity of over 7500 kg ganja have already been seized by the NCB, Bengaluru zone, resulting in the arrest of 25 persons. The two enforcement actions of the NCB and recent substantial seizures of ganja clearly indicate that the ganja traffickers have been desperate and taking the risk of carrying maximum quantity of the contraband at a time,” the agency statement noted.