HYDERABAD: Rachakonda police busted a two-member opium supply racket, which was being operated out of Kandukur on the city outskirts, and seized 390 kg of opium straw worth Rs 20 lakh on Friday. The culprits were cultivating opium poppy in two acres of land.
The police arrested a farmer named Dandupally Chennakeshavulu, who was involved in the opium cultivation. The main accused Dhimmir Venkataramana, who hails from Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, was arrested by the Special Enforcement Bureau of Andhra Pradesh earlier.
Based on a tip-off, Rachakonda police raided Lemur village under Kandukur police limits, and found that Chennakeshavulu was cultivating opium poppy with the help of Venkataramana.
Venkataramana had the contacts of customers in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka, who were willing to purchase opium straw for good money. Despite the ban on opium cultivation, Venkataramana gave opium poppy seeds to Chennakeshavulu by offering him commission.
He has been cultivating opium poppy for the past three months in the 2-acre filed, which he had taken on lease. Opium poppy straw and other material, all worth `20 lakh, was seized.