Over 15 booked in excise raids

Three individuals were arrested and over 15 booked by the State Task Force (STF) in operations across Hyderabad and neighbouring districts on Friday.

In the first set of seizures, STF – A team recovered a total of 71.8 grams of OG Kush in two linked cases in Sindhi Colony, Secunderabad. Officers first seized 42 grams of the high-grade cannabis along with a car, a two-wheeler and two mobile phones. Ten people were booked in connection with this offence. In a follow-up action, 29.8 grams of OG Kush was seized and five more individuals were booked. One suspect, identified as Jatap Vaishanyamanan from Bihar, was arrested. The cases were later transferred to Secunderabad and Dhoolpet excise stations.

In another operation, STF-B team seized 0.40 grams of MDMA, five packets of ganja and three liquor bottles in Anandnagar, Khairatabad, under the Nampally excise station.

Investigators said the contraband was sourced by a woman, Om Shriya, who works as a chef, through a supplier named Praneeth. Both were booked and the case was handed over to Nampally excise station personnel.

The same team also seized 252 grams of marijuana in Hastinapuram, arresting one accused, Nitish Reddy. Further investigation is underway at Meerpet excise station.

In a separate enforcement action, STF- D team arrested a man involved in mixing cheap liquor with premium brands and selling the adulterated bottles at lower prices. The accused, identified as Banoth Narva from Nekkonda mandal in Warangal district, was first caught in Narsampet but later shifted his activities to Khammam, where many of his relatives are government employees. Acting on a tip-off, the team tracked him down in Khammam and seized 16 brand-mixing liquor bottles.

Officers said the arrest followed the circulation of a video demonstrating how the adulteration was carried out. The accused and the seized bottles were handed over to Khammam excise staff.

Further investigations are under way in all the cases.