A Special Task Force (STF) team of the Excise and Prohibition Department arrested three people, all natives of Kerala, on charge of smuggling ganja from the interior areas of Visakha Agency on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as P.A. Suresh (40), Anil Jacob (42) from Thrissur district and Lijo Jose from Idukki district of Kerala.
According to Anakapalle Excise STF Inspector K. Kameswara Rao, acting on a tip-off, the STF team intercepted a vehicle at Laxmipuram Road Junction under Chodavaram police station limits and seized 34 kg ganja worth ₹68,000 .
“In a bid to evade checking, the accused had hidden the contraband inside the seat of the vehicle. They reportedly procured the ganja from Paderu and were allegedly transporting it to Kerala,” said Mr. Kameswara Rao.
