Additional SP (Chintapalli) Prathap Shiva Kishore presents the accused, and the seized liquor ganja and cash, before the media at Chinthapalli in Alluri Sitharama Raju district on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGMENT

Man Arrested for Smuggling 7.2 kg of Liquid Ganja in Alluri Sitharama Raju District

The district police made an arrest on December 23 (Saturday) in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, apprehending a 49-year-old man who was allegedly involved in smuggling 7.2 kg of liquid ganja, also known as hashish oil or hash oil. The arrest took place near Lothugedda Bridge at Chintapalli.

The suspect has been identified as V. Raja Rao, hailing from Luvvasingi panchayat in G Madugula mandal of the same district.

During a press conference held on Saturday, Additional SP (Chintapalli Su-Division) Prathap Shiva Kishore revealed that approximately two years ago, a group of individuals from Tamil Nadu arrived at Kudumusari panchayat in Chintapalli mandal with three hash-oil-making machines. These individuals would acquire ganja from the interior hamlets of Chitrakonda in Odisha, process it into hash oil, and subsequently sell it in Tamil Nadu at higher prices.

Raja Rao acquired a hash-oil-making machine from Tamil Nadu-based smugglers, from whom he learned the techniques of producing this illicit substance. The dry ganja used in the process was procured from Chitrakonda, according to the police.

ASP Prathap Shiva Kishore further explained that the accused would transport the ganja through hillock routes to avoid detection by the police. After manufacturing the hash oil, he would sell it for prices ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh per litre.

The Chintapalli police team conducted a route watch on the Louthugedda Bridge at around 5 a.m. on Saturday, successfully apprehending Raja Rao in the act of transporting hash oil. Along with the suspect, the police seized ₹23 lakh in cash, a hash oil manufacturing machine, a two-wheeler, and a mobile phone.

The police are currently searching for two additional individuals suspected to be accomplices of the arrested accused.