The Hyderabad Narcotics Enforcement Wing (H-NEW), in a joint operation with Madhura Nagar police, apprehended three individuals involved in an inter-State ganja supply network.
The arrested accused have been identified as Bala Hantal, also known as Steeve, Raju, or Ranju, a resident of Odisha; Srinivasulu, a native of Andhra Pradesh residing in Kukatpally; and Abhishek, also from Andhra Pradesh, and living in Kukatpally.
The police seized 41.13 kilograms of ganja, an electric packing machine, a motorcycle, three mobile phones, and cash amounting to ₹40,440.
“Bala Hantal, is a native of Koraput district. He was cultivating ganja and supplying it to peddlers across Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. When his supply runs low, he procures the substance from another dealer, Kalyan Roy, also of Odisha,” said the police.
Srinivasulu, formerly an IT professional in cyber security, turned to drug peddling after quitting his job due to financial struggles.
“He became addicted to online gaming, lost his earnings, and took to personal loans. Learning from friends that selling ganja is a lucrative business, he devised a plan to enter the trade,” added the police.
He contacted Bala through Kalyan and began purchasing ganja at ₹5,000 per kg from Araku. Initially, he sold small sachets of 30 grams to 50 grams for ₹1,000 and ₹2,000 each but later moved to bulk sales, making a profit of ₹40,000 per kg.
“Investigators revealed that the accused formed a well-organised network, with Srinivasulu acting as the primary distributor in Hyderabad. He procured ganja from suppliers on Odisha-Andhra border, and with the assistance of Abhishek, sold it at an inflated price in the city,” said the police.
Published – February 27, 2025 07:42 pm IST
