Hyderabad, Sep 3 (IANS): The sleuths of Telangana State Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TSNAB) in a joint operation with Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized 208 kilograms of ganja and nabbed an interstate gang.

Acting on credible information, they intercepted one lorry and one car near Nakkalabanda Tanda in Jadcherla of Mahaboobnagar district and apprehended five persons.

They were found transporting ganja from Parvathipuram in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh to Pune, Maharashtra. TSNAB seized 208 kg of ganja, one lorry and one car, all worth Rs.1 crore from their possession.

All the five accused are from Maharashtra. They are Raju Ambadas Shinde, Balaji Arjun Kale, Nikhil Nandakumar Ghawali, Madhukar Arjun Kale and Sanjay Ravindra Chowhan.

The main accused Hasan, also from Maharashtra, is absconding. He had offered a deal to the accused Raju Ambadas Shinde to transport ganja from Parvathipuram, to Pune and agreed to pay Rs.2 Lakhs to him as commission. Raju engaged remaining accused persons who are his relatives to transport ganja from Andhra Pradesh to Maharashtra.

The accused Raju Ambadas Shinde procured one lorry to transport ganja. Later they fabricated the lorry at Maharashtra with a secret compartment on the top of the lorry engine for concealing ganja. He also procured one car for piloting the lorry.

As per the directions of accused Hasan, the five accused left Maharashtra and proceeded to the agency area of Parvathipuram and collected 104 packets of ganja from an unknown person. Each packet contained 2 kgs of ganja.

On Saturday while the accused persons were proceeding in lorry and car by carrying ganja, the sleuths of TSNAB and NCB officials apprehended them.