The officials of Prohibition and Excise (Enforcement Wing) have seized around 2.29 tonnes of dry ganja near Uppa village of Hukumpeta mandal in Visakhapatnam agency on Tuesday morning.
Based on intelligence inputs, the officials intercepted a van and seized the contraband weed that was being transported to Chennai. The excise officials also arrested two persons: V. V. Chinna Rao (27) of G. Madugula mandal in Visakhapatnam Agency and J. Bala Murugan (32) of Madurai, Tamil Nadu. According to Assistant Commissioner of Excise (Enforcement) S.V.V.N. Babji Rao, the vehicle was intercepted by a team near Uppa and the weed was neatly packed in gunny bags and covered with tarpaulin. A person travelling in a motorbike was serving as a pilot for the van and he was supposed to alert the van driver in case of checking. But we intercepted him first and then caught the van. However, the driver of the van managed to escape, said Mr. Babji Rao. Based on preliminary inquiry, it was revealed that the ganja was being transported to Tamil Nadu.