Drug trafficker sentenced to 10-year RI

Hyderabad: The Additional District and Sessions Court in Ranga Reddy has convicted eight individuals involved in an inter-State smuggling of 681.8 kg of ganja. Each accused has been sentenced to 10 years of Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act-1985.

According to Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Hyderabad Zone, the NCB On February 24, 2021, successfully intercepted a major drug consignment at Pedda Amberpet toll plaza on Nehru Outer Ring Road (ORR) at Hayathnagar Mandal in Ranga Reddy district. The illegal contraband, weighing 681.8 kg, was being transported in three vehicles. The traffickers were smuggling ganja from Sileru at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh to Pune and Osmanabad via Hyderabad.

Following a investigation, eight individuals namely Suresh Shyamrao Pawar, Vishal Ramesh Pawar, Balaji Ramdas Ware, Manoj Vilas Dhotre, Dhyaneshwar Lalasaheb Deshmukh, Ramraje Chaturbhuj Gunjale, Akshay Anant Gandhi and Sachin Dagadu Sanap, were arrested and charged for drug trafficking.

After the completion of trial proceedings, the court found all accused guilty under Sections 8(c) read with 20(b)(ii)(C) of the NDPS Act-1985. In 2024 alone, six cases of NCB Hyderabad were adjudicated, of which five resulted in convictions, demonstrating the agency’s professionalism. This conviction highlights NCB’s unwavering efforts to combat narcotic smuggling and ensure strict enforcement of the NDPS Act. The agency remains committed to dismantling drug syndicates operating across the country. To fight against drug trafficking, the NCB seeks support of the citizens.