166 kilogram ganja seized, three held in city

Police have seized two four-wheelers and a bike used by the gang to smuggle the narcotic substance. Sources told DT Next that the contraband was more likely to be sold in Chennai and surrounding areas as ganja mainly goes to Kerala from Cumbum and Theni areas.

The police team intercepted a pick-up truck near a toll booth under construction on 200 Feet Road near Madhavaram and interrogated the driver and cleaner of the vehicle. They first told the police that the truck had a load of jackfruits. When the police inspected the truck they found the ganja packets cleverly concealed in special cavities. They recovered 138 kilos of ganja packed in 68 packets, each packet having two kilograms. Police arrested truck driver M Chellapandi (40), a native of Cumbum, Theni district, and cleaner R Ajith Kumar (21), a native of Uthamapuram, Theni.

On further interrogation, the gang told the police that they were deputed by one Amaresan, a resident of Uthamapuram, Theni, to smuggle the contraband from Visakhapatnam to Kerala. They also gave information regarding their gang member Vellaichamy, alias Balraj (60), a resident of Mathur, Chennai. Police tracked him with the help of the accused. They nabbed Balraj along with his Honda Activa scooter and recovered 8 kilos of ganja kept in four packets in the vehicle. Police said this consignment was perhaps meant for sale to the retail peddlers in Chennai. 

Police tracked another vehicle used by the gang, which was kept concealed in another part of the city, and recovered another 20 kg of ganja in ten packets. “Usually, ganja to southern Kerala goes mainly from Theni and Cumbum areas in Tamil Nadu apart from Idukki district. Andhra gangs mainly supply the contraband to Chennai and northern Tamil Nadu areas. We suspect the contraband was meant for sale in Chennai and nearby areas,” a senior police official said.

More than 100 kg of ganja was on Friday seized from a train near here and three persons were arrested in this connection. Police said 102 kg of ganja was seized from the Chennai-Tiruchi Cholan Express when it stopped at Papanasam railway station. Three persons were arrested in connection with the seizure, they added.