Continuing its drive against narcotics under the campaign to create a drug-free Madhya Pradesh, Jabalpur police arrested a man allegedly involved in the illegal transportation and trade of narcotics and seized 33.3 kilograms of ganja worth Rs 16.65 lakh. Additional SP (Crime), Jitendra Singh, while addressing a press conference, on Saturday evening informed that the operation was carried out by a joint team of Crime Branch and Barela Police Station under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Sampat Upadhyay.

 

Acting on a tip-off received late on the night of May 29 and 30, police were informed that a man was transporting a large quantity of ganja from Mandla towards Jabalpur in a white Hyundai Creta. Following the information, police teams set up a checkpoint near Sharda Mandir Tiraha in Barela. After some time, the suspect vehicle, bearing registration number MP-20ZG-9299, was spotted approaching the area. On noticing the police barricade, the driver attempted to speed away, but officers promptly intercepted and stopped the vehicle. The accused was identified as Bulraju, son of Venkat Rao (57), native of West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh and currently residing in Shastri Nagar, Jabalpur. During the search, police recovered Rs 2,740 in cash and two mobile phones from his possession.

 

A thorough inspection of the vehicle led to the recovery of 10 packets containing half a kilogram each of ganja and 27 packets weighing one kilogram each concealed near the engine compartment. The total seizure amounted to 33.3 kilograms of Ganja. During interrogation, the accused told police that he had procured the contraband from a supplier in Titlagarh, Odisha and intended to sell it to a man identified as Shubham Sonkar of Bhantalaiya, Jabalpur. Barela Police registered a case under Sections 8 and 20 of the NDPS Act. The seized ganja, cash, mobile phones and the Hyundai Creta used for transportation have been seized while further investigation is underway to trace other persons working in the network of narcotics trade.