The Prohibition and Excise Department seized 500 kg of ganja, valued at Rs 50 lakh, in three different raids at Narsipatnam and Rolugunta mandals in the agency area of Visakhpatnam district here today.
In a raid conducted by Excise Inspector of Narsipatnam, Jaganmohan Rao, at Nellimetta junction under Narsipatnam mandal, officials seized 75 kg of ganja, a car and arrested three persons.
Those arrested were identified as Kamal Singh M Ram of Nizamabad district of Telangana, his wife Kamal Singh Parvati and P Ganesh.
Officials said that the trio procured the contraband from remote areas of Chinatapalle as well as G K Veedhi mandals and was trying to smuggle it to Hyderabad.
In another raid at B B Patnam area of Rolugunta mandal, excise officials seized 225 kg of ganja and arrested six people, including the kingpin of the gang.
Those arrested were identified as T Gangaraju of B B Patnam, while the rest were tribals from Chintapalle and G K Veedhi region, who were engaged to transport the contraband.
Excise officials also seized over 200 kg of ganja, four motorbikes and arrested four people at Pakalapadu area under Narsipatnam mandal.
