The Hyderabad zonal unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized over 10,000 kg of marijuana from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in 2017.
The DRI, which has been conducting continuous crackdown on illegal trafficking of marijuana and booking cases against those involved in smuggling the material, seized 950 kg of marijuana from Telangana in 2017, while 8,500 kg was seized from Andhra Pradesh.
On Sunday, the DRI intercepted a heavy goods vehicle near Atchutapuram near Visakhapatnam. After searching the vehicle, officials initially found that the vehicle was carrying chemicals like polymer and resin packed in propylene bags and tins. Further inspection led to the discovery of 804 kg of marijuana packed in similar looking bags as that of chemicals and cleverly concealed in the middle of the cargo. The vehicle was headed to Dehradun in Uttaranchal.
The contraband was said to have been procured from near the Jolaput area on the Andhra-Odisha Border and later loaded into the goods vehicle near Atchutapuram.
The value of the recovered marijuana in the grey market would be over Rs 1.21 crore. The cost of the seized vehicle was Rs 13 lakh and that of chemicals was Rs 21 lakh. Officials detained three persons, who were found to be involved in the illegal transport of marijuana.