In a big catch, the Patamata police arrested a notorious ganja (cannabis) smuggling gang, and seized ganja, valued about ₹2.5 lakh from their possession.
One of the accused, Shaik Akbar Basha, who was the kingpin of the gang, was reportedly smuggling ganja from the Agency area of ASR District and was allegedly supplying the contraband to the consumers, particularly students, said Central Zone Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), P. Bhaskar Rao.
Police caught the gang while they were reportedly handing over the ganja packets to the local peddlers in the early hours on Friday, near Enikepadu, on the outskirts of Vijayawada, said Patamata Circle Inspector, D. Kasi Viswanadh.
“Akbar Basha, is involved in about 35 cases under Bhavanipuram, Ibrahimpatnam, One Town and other police stations. He is a most wanted criminal and is absconding for the last two years,” Mr. Bhaskar Rao said.
The modus operandi of the gang was to collect ganja stocks from the tribal hamlets and supply the same to the local peddlers. The accused were selling the contraband at higher rate to the local suppliers, the ACP told the media on Friday.
