Sleuths of (NCB), which took up the e-Commerce ganja smuggling racket case, are investigating the role of Amazon management in the illegal trade.
“Amazon pickup associates confessed that they alerted their supervisor of the company team leader at Kancharapalem area in May 2021, about ganja packing and smuggling. However, two supervisors neglected the issue,” claimed Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) Commissioner Vineet Brijlal.
Investigation officers were probing the mode of transport of the contraband from Andhra Pradesh to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, and whether the gang was supplying marijuana to any other States, and other details.
“The accused, Suraj Pawaiya and Mukul Jaiswal, of Madhya Pradesh smuggled ganja manually for sometime. Later, they started booking consignments through Amazon Online Shopping Portal, on the name of Super Natural Stevia Leaves,” the SEB Commissioner told The Hindu.
SEB Director P.H.D. Ramakrishna said that as per the documents and the way bills seized, the gang booked about 725 consignments (parcels) in just one year.
“Investigation is on to verify the role of other company staff in the racket, the suppliers and consumers in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. One accused, Pinku, of Odisha has been traced and police are also investigating whether the gang had sent parcels from Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada and other districts in Odisha,” the SEB officials said.
“During investigation, it was revealed that the some of the Amazon company officials had knowledge on the online ganja smuggling racket, but they ignored the alerts given by their staff,” Mr. Brijlal said.
Police arrested Chilakapati Srinivasa Rao, who was hoarding and supplying ganja at Kancharapalem area, Suraj and Mukul, Amazon pick up associates, J. Kumara Swamy and B. Krishnam Raju, Ch. Venkateswara Rao, driver of the parcels pickup van, auto driver Chilakapati Mohan Raju, company supervisor Raj Kumar and team leader Hema Chandra in the case so far, Mr. Ramakrishna added.
