In a significant crackdown on illicit drug trade, the Rachakonda Police’s Maheshwaram Special Operations Team (SOT) successfully apprehended a man on Tuesday who was attempting to smuggle a massive quantity of ganja. The operation, which took place in Hyderabad, led to the seizure of 1,210 kilograms of the contraband, estimated to be worth a staggering ₹6.25 crore.
The arrested individual has been identified as Vikram Vishnoi, also known as Vikas, a 22-year-old truck driver hailing from Osian Tehsil in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district. He was intercepted early Tuesday morning on National Highway 65 at Kothaguda X Road, Abdullapurmet, while driving his truck laden with the illegal substance.
Police investigations revealed that Vishnoi was operating under the direction of a known gang of ganja smugglers from his hometown, identified as Devilal alias Katu, Aayub Khan, and Ramlal. These individuals had reportedly hired Vishnoi as a driver, offering him a hefty payment of ₹5 lakh per trip to transport ganja from Malkangiri in Odisha all the way to Rajasthan.
The intricate smuggling route began with Vishnoi transporting an iron consignment from Jaipur to Nanded, Maharashtra. From there, he proceeded to Hyderabad and then Khammam, where he cleverly acquired cement bags. These bags were not for delivery but were used to create a false compartment in the front section of his truck. He then travelled to Malkangiri, where he procured the 1,210 kg of ganja from anonymous suppliers. The drug packets were meticulously hidden beneath the cement bags and then covered with a tarpaulin, before he commenced his journey towards Rajasthan, passing through Hyderabad.
Following his arrest, the Abdullapurmet police have registered a case against Vishnoi under the stringent Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. He remains in custody as authorities continue their intensive investigation to unearth the full extent of the drug network and identify all individuals involved in this extensive supply chain.