The Krishna District police on Wednesday arrested four alleged smugglers at Hanuman Junction town, seizing 558 kg of ganja, worth Rs 50 lakh, from them. “The ganja was seized from two different vehicles, a Swaraj Mazda and a Tata Indigo,” Hanuman Junction Sub Inspector Satish told TNM.

While one of the accused, 33-year-old Thota Rajesh, is from Nandyal in Kurnool, the other three, 35-year-old Pawanbabu Pandey, 30-year-old Shaikh Waseem and 21-year-old Shaikh Abid, are reportedly from Amaravati in Maharashtra.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985.

The police said the ganja was being transported from Narsipatnam in Visakhapatnam to Maharashtra. They also added that the drug was allegedly being transported to a man identified as ‘Golu’ in Maharashtra.

The police are also investigating to see if the four men have wider links to smuggle ganja to other states.

Earlier this month, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials seized 842 kg cannabis worth Rs 1.2 crore from two people. They were arrested for smuggling a contraband substance.

In this incident too, the cannabis was being smuggled from Narsipatnam to Maharashtra.

In June too, the Narcotics Control Bureau authorities seized ganja worth Rs 2 crore near Ibrahimpatnam of Vijayawada.

Several reports are suggesting that the interior areas in Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and West Godavari districts are becoming centres for the cultivation of cannabis.