ELURU: In a major haul, 1,000 kg of ganja was seized at Gopalapuram and Devarapalli on Wednesday.
According to police, Mende Venkateswara Rao of Rajahmundry and Konchada Santhosh of Palasa procured ganja from the agency area in Srikakulam district.
While the ganja was being transported by the duo to Hyderabad in a Skoda car, it collided with a lorry at Gopalapuram. Venkateswara Rao died on the spot in the incident. Santhosh was grievously injured.
While retrieving the body of Venkateswara Rao from the ill-fated car, the police found 200 kg of ganja in it. The contraband was seized. Santhosh was shifted to Kovvur government hospital. A case was registered.
In another incident, the police seized 800 kg of ganja from an Eicher van at Devarapalli. Pilla Srinu and Sirgadam Sai of Sankaram village in Anakapalli mandal and Konala Nukaraju of Pakalapadu were smuggling the ganja in the van to Hyderabad to hand over it to Krishna, a ganja smuggler.
The market value of the seized ganja which is of fine quality, was estimated at `80 lakh.
According to the police, ganja is being smuggled to Hyderabad from the agency areas of North Andhra every week.
Following a tip-off, the police asked the van driver to stop the vehicle on the national highway. But he tried to speed away. Then the police forcibly stopped the vehicle and arrested trio. Devarapalli Sub-Inspector P Vasu seized the contraband.
Jangareddigudem DSP J Venkatrao told newsmen that Krishna of Hyderabad, the kingpin of ganja smuggling, was involved in several cases. He used to supply ganja to Maharashtra and other places in the country. The police are on the lookout for the kingpin of ganja smuggling, the DSP added.