The sleuths of the Special Operations Team (SOT), Maheshwaram Zone team, along with Choutuppal Police Rachakonda, busted an inter-State drug syndicate and arrested two drug peddlers on October 13.
About 200 kgs of ganja and a vehicle, all worth Rs. 70 lakhs, were seized.
DS Chauhan, Rachakonda Police Commissioner, said, “On October 13 in the morning hours, on a tip of information, the SOT, Maheshwaram Zone team along with Choutuppal Police intercepted a car at Panthangi check post and apprehended the accused Sandeep Anil Indrekar and Vishal Kandugadgi along with contraband Ganja and seized the same.”
DS Chauhan further said the accused, Sandeep Anil Indrekar, was born and brought up in Pune in Maharashtra and earned a livelihood by doing petty business.
“He decided to earn easy money by transporting ganja. His childhood friend accused Vishal Kadugadgi lived in the same colony. Sandeep Anil Indrekar asked him to accompany him in Ganja smuggling for which he offered to pay Rs. 25,000 per trip and the other accused agreed,” Chauhan said.
Chauhan further said that Sandeep Anil Indrekar came into contact with one Laxamn from Odisha who was a Ganja seller through his common friend.
“Initially, he used to sell small ganja packets to ganja consumers in his locality, but due to his meager income, he decided to buy huge quantities to gain easy money. He purchased a high-end vehicle to conceal the contraband ganja in the backseat,” he said.
He further said while transporting the ganja to Pune, Maharashtra, the accused, Sandeep Anil Indrekar, used to keep Maharashtra Police Sub-Inspector’s Peak Cap on the dashboard of the vehicle and pose himself as police with the intention to escape from checking at the toll gates and check posts.
The accused transported 80 kgs of dry Ganja to Pune, Maharastra, about two months ago.
A case has been registered under Cr. No.589/2023 U/s 8 (c) r/w 20 (b) (II) (C) of NDPS ACT at Choutuppal PS.
(with inputs from ANI)
