In a major breakthrough, the Geesukonda police seized a large haul of ganja hidden in a car.
The police arrested five persons including a juvenile offender. They were identified as Dandeboina Suman of Gorrekunta village under Geesukonda mandal, Vantala Vijay, Gimmela Ranga Rao and Vantala Narsinga Rao belonging to Annavaram in East Godavari district.
Speaking to newsmen here on Thursday, the city police commissioner V Ravinder said that preliminary investigation revealed that the ganja procured from Visakhapatnam is being supplied to Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
“Besides 500 kilograms of ganja worth around ₹ 50 lakh, the police seized two country-made guns, 11 rounds, one knife, five cell phones, one car and ₹ 1.50 lakh in cash from the gang,” the Commissioner said. He said that Suman, who ran a hotel in Warangal for sometime, ended up in a debt trap. Suman had in the past worked as a car driver for others who smuggled ganja. During that stint, he was also arrested by the police in Visakhapatnam.
With the past experience in ganja smuggling, he started to procure ganja from Visakhapatnam district with the help of four other smugglers. The gang modified a SUV to transport ganja packets illegally. Vijay, Ranga Rao and Narsinga Rao used to travel in the nights to hand over the consignment to Suman who resides at Keerthi Nagar Colony in Gorrekunta village. Operating from Keerthi Nagar, Suman supplied ganja to traders in Telangana and other States.
Following a tip-off, the police raided the residence of Suman and seized the contraband. The police said that Suman purchased two country-made pistols and 11 rounds from an unknown person in Uttar Pradesh. The Commissioner appreciated DCP K R Nagaraju, Mamnoor ACP Shyamsundar, Geesukonda Inspector Sivaramaiah, Sangem SI Nagaraju and others for nabbing the peddler.
