Ganja worth Rs 2.5 crore seized within 24 hours in Visakhapatnam

` The officials in Visakhapatnam seized ganja worth Rs. 2.5 crore in two different operations in a single day in the district.

In the first incident, officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), on Wednesday, seized marijuana worth nearly Rs. 2.45 crore at the NAD Junction. Weighing nearly 1,638 kilograms, the marijuana was packed in 800 separate packets and stuffed into 40 bags.

As per official statements issued by the DRI on Thursday, the ganja packets were hidden under a load of banana stalks in a truck and a four-wheeler that were caught in Visakhapatnam. The truck was loaded in Narsipatnam and was heading to Bhubaneswar from Visakhapatnam Agency when it was caught. Four people in connection to the case have been taken into custody and the substance has been seized by the officials.

Cases have been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 even as further investigations are on.

In the second incident, two people were arrested by officials of the Excise and Prohibition Department, Narsipatnam, for possessing 600 kg of ganja from a van at Dabbada village in Visakhapatnam district. The estimated value of the contraband is at Rs 70 lakh, as per official statements by Excise & Prohibition Superintendent S.K.D.V. Prasad.

The accused, identified as natives of Bihar, had allegedly procured the drugs from G. Madugula Mandal and were sending it to Patna. The ganja was found packed in 60 separate bags and hidden under a load of vegetables.