Hyderabad: The H-NEW (Hyderabad Narcotics Enforcement Wing) team conducted a joint operation along with Madhura Nagar Police and three persons involved in the possession of contraband Ganja. Police seized 41 kg of ganja worth Rs 18 lakh.

Police arrested Bala Hantal alias Steeve, Raju, Ranju of Odisha State, an interstate ganja supplier, Srinivasulu, a ganja peddler and Abhishek, a ganja delivery boy both residents of Kukatpally, and native of Andhra Pradesh. Police seized 41.13 kg of ganja, cash Rs 40,440, electronic weighing machine, a bike and three mobile phones from them.

According to police, Srinivasulu gained access to Ganja cultivators at the Odisha-Andhra border. Upon his request, the ganja supplier came to Araku, Vizag and Hyderabad to deliver the product to him regularly. Srinivasulu procured the ganja from the suppliers/cultivators at Rs 5,000 per kg and with the help of Abhishek sells it in Hyderabad City at a higher price and gets profit of Rs 40,000 per kg.

On February 25, the HNEW team along with Madhura Nagar Police conducted a joint operation and apprehended Srinivasulu, Abhishek and Bala Hantal along with 25 kg of ganja, a KTM bike, cash from their possession. Further, an additional 15 kg of ganja was recovered from the residence of Srinivasulu along with an electric packing machine at Kukatpally.

Hyderabad Narcotics Enforcement Wing (HNEW) appeals to the public of Hyderabad to refrain from substance abuse and parents are advised to keep a watch on the activities of their children to ensure they do not fall prey to drugs. Any information pertaining to drug abuse may be given at mobile number 8712661601 to HNEW team.