EAGLE Seizes 935 Kg Of Ganja Worth Rs 5 Crore

In a major breakthrough in Telangana's fight against narcotics, EAGLE (Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement), the State's newly restructured and intensified anti-narcotics force, today seized 935 kg of ganja worth Rs 5 crore.

The operation dismantled a well-organized smuggling syndicate operating between Odisha and Maharashtra via Andhra Pradesh.

This high-value bust marks one of the largest ganja seizures of 2025, and reportedly highlights the operational efficiency of EAGLE, which replaced the erstwhile Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB) with a more agile, intelligence-driven and field-focused structure.

According to police reports, on July 26, the EAGLE unit at the RNCC Khammam and Rachakonda Narcotics police stations received specific intelligence about the bulk transportation of ganja in a Tata Eicher truck escorted by a Toyota Innova.

"The smuggling convoy was expected to pass through the Batasingaram Fruit Market Junction on the Vijayawada National Highway between 2 pm and 4 pm," the police said.

A rapid response team from RNCC Khammam and Rachakonda deployed surveillance and technical units at key locations. The target vehicles were intercepted at 3:05 pm and brought under control. Upon inspection, 35 HDPE bags were found hidden beneath empty plastic fruit trays in the Tata Eicher. These bags contained 455 packets of ganja, each sealed in brown tape.

The total weight of the contraband was recorded at 935.611 kg, and the entire seizure process was documented through photography and videography.

The arrested accused confessed that the operation was masterminded by Pawar Kumar Badu, a repeat NDPS offender from Maharashtra, in coordination with Sachin Gangaram Chouhan (absconding) and Vicky Seth (an Odisha-based supplier).

The accused trio - Pawar Kumar Badu, Samadhan Kantilal Bhise and Vinayak Baba Saheb Pawar - travelled from Maharashtra to Rajahmundry on July 23, 2025, in a rented Innova. There they met Sachin, who loaded the ganja into the Tata Eicher. The convoy then set off toward Maharashtra, with the Innova escorting the truck to avoid detection.