EAGLE seizes six kg ganja concealed in auto’s speaker in Hyderabad, five arrested

The EAGLE Force, in collaboration with Pet Basheerabad police, intercepted an autorickshaw near Devarayamjal on Monday (August 17) and seized six kilograms of ganja concealed within the vehicle's speaker box. Five individuals were apprehended and accused of transporting and selling the banned substance, with the seized contraband estimated to be worth ₹3 lakh.

The accused, identified as Mohammed Hamid, Mohammed Abbas, Mohammed Mustafa, Irfan Khan, and Sayyad Afroz, are all residents of Hyderabad. According to the police, Hamid had traveled to Nagpur around three months ago for a sandal procession at Tajuddin Dargah, where he allegedly met Shaik Sadiq, the alleged supplier of the ganja.

Hamid purchased 2 kg of marijuana from Sadiq for ₹36,000 and subsequently sold it in small packets to consumers, making a profit that led him to expand his operation. He enlisted the help of Abbas, Mustafa, Irfan, and Afroz, promising them a share of the profits based on their sales. The five men traveled from Hyderabad to Nagpur in Hamid's auto on August 15, reaching the city the following day.

On Sunday, they met Sadiq near Tajuddin Dargah and purchased 6 kg of ganja for ₹1 lakh in cash. The contraband was concealed within the speaker box before the group resumed their journey back to Hyderabad. The vehicle was intercepted near Pet Basheerabad, leading to the seizure of the ganja and five mobile phones. Hamid had previously been arrested in an extortion and Arms Act case in 2024 at Banjara Hills police station.

The supplier, Shaik Sadiq, is currently at large, and efforts are underway to apprehend him. The preliminary investigation also revealed that the accused targeted vulnerable groups, such as auto drivers, daily-wage laborers, caterers, and other individuals around Nampally Railway Station, Nampally Dargah, and Public Gardens. Over 25 regular consumers linked to the accused have been identified, and police are working to trace other occasional buyers.