Mangaluru: CCB Police intercept drug traffickers, seize 120 kg of ganja sourced from Odisha

Mangaluru: In a crackdown on drug trafficking, Mangaluru CCB police have apprehended two individuals who were caught transporting a substantial quantity of banned narcotic ganja from Odisha to Mangaluru city and Kerala.

The suspects, identified as Anoop MS (28) from Wayanad and Latheef KV (36) from Kannur, were intercepted by a team led by Mangaluru CCB Inspector Shyam Sundar HM on February 6 in the city.

Acting on specific intelligence regarding the smuggling operation, the police intercepted a Mahendra Bolero vehicle at Pilikuru in Talapadi village of Ullal taluk. Upon inspection, the officers discovered 120 kg of ganja concealed within the vehicle.

As much as 120 kg of ganja, valued at approximately Rs. 28 lakhs, along with the vehicle, three mobile phones, and Rs. 4020/- in cash, were confiscated by the authorities. The total estimated worth of the seized items amounts to Rs. 35,14,520/-, police said.

According to police, the accused had been engaged in the illegal transportation of ganja from Odisha, traversing through Andhra Pradesh and Bengaluru, with the aim of distributing it in Karnataka and Kerala. To evade detection, the suspects had ingeniously concealed the ganja within a specially constructed iron box installed in the rear bumper of the Bolero vehicle.

The police have indicated that many other individuals are believed to be involved in this extensive ganja trafficking network, and efforts to apprehend them are underway.

Police said that Anoop, one of the arrested suspects, has a prior criminal record, having been previously involved in a robbery case in 2018 at Nanjangudu rural police station in Mysuru district. Additionally, he is booked in several cases in Wayanad district.