Archive · 22 Aug 2026
Five Held in Hyderabad Ganja Smuggling Case, Including Seniors
Police in Hyderabad arrested five people accused of moving ganja between cities.
Three of the arrested people are senior citizens.
The group allegedly collected the ganja in Araku, near Visakhapatnam.
They carried it by bus to Hyderabad and then traveled by another bus to Mumbai.
Their job was to deliver the parcels at places chosen by another person.
Police said they were paid about Rs.
10,000 to Rs.
12,000 for each delivery.
The alleged main organizer, Gopi, has not been arrested.
Officials said he used older people and women because he thought police would watch them less closely.
Hyderabad police arrested five people in a ganja smuggling case, including three senior citizens.
The accused include a 78-year-old man, a 66-year-old woman, and three other people aged 65, 48, and 36.
The Central Crime Station team worked with Gandhinagar police to make the arrests.
Police said the group transported ganja from Araku near Visakhapatnam to Mumbai through Hyderabad.
Officials said absconding suspect Gopi recruited seniors and women as couriers to reduce police surveillance.
- Who
- Five people identified as Rajaram Swami Kannu Padaiyachi, Santosh Balaram Prajapathi, Vijayalaxmi Kaliyamurti Pellai, Silmina Kujur, and Sheela Devi were arrested; police also named Gopi as an absconding suspect.
- What
- The five were arrested for allegedly transporting ganja as part of a smuggling network.
- Where
- The alleged route ran from Araku near Visakhapatnam through Hyderabad to Mumbai; the arrests occurred in Hyderabad.
- Why
- Police said the accused transported ganja for commissions, while alleged organizer Gopi used seniors and women because he believed they would attract less police surveillance.
- People arrested
- Five
- Senior citizens arrested
- Three, including a 78-year-old man and a 66-year-old woman
- Police units involved
- The Central Crime Station special crime team and Gandhinagar police
- Alleged route
- Araku near Visakhapatnam to Hyderabad, then Mumbai
- Payment per delivery
- Approximately Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 12,000
- Absconding suspect
- Gopi
- Previous history
- Police said the accused had previous criminal histories involving ganja transportation