In a massive bust in Kerala, 500 kg of marijuana was seized by excise officials from a container truck in Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. As per reports, the seized substance is worth around Rs 20 crore. Officials said that this may be one of the single biggest seizures in Kerala so far.

The state excise enforcement squad arrested the driver, Pulvan Sigh, and cleaner, Krishna, who are from Jharkhand and seized the vehicle.

The Thiruvananthapuram range excise officials had received a tip-off about the ganja being smuggled. It was hidden in secret chambers in the truck and sealed in packets. The hidden chambers were found on top of the driver's cabin.

Officials informed the media that the truck was coming from Mysuru through Kannur. The truck was distributing the substance across the state and reached Thiruvananthapuram to supply the substance to a dealer in Chirayinkeezhu.

Officials are trying to trace the source of the substance in Mysuru and they are also in search of the dealer from Chirayankeezhu. Officials have information that a Kannur and a Thrissur native were part of this gang based in Mysuru, who transport ganja from Andhra Pradesh to Kerala. September is the month to harvest ganja cultivated illegally in the border areas of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, which have thick forests.

Excise officials said since a lot of essential goods are travelling into Kerala from other states, criminals make use of the situation to smuggle banned substances. Last week, 40 kg of ganja was caught from a truck that was transporting fruits. Another 30 kg was caught from a truck that was transporting books.

Officials had visited Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to collect more evidence.

In August second week, Chalakudy police had seized 138 kg of marijuana which was being transported in a fish truck. The substance was also said to be brought from Visakhapatnam. The truck carried fish from Kerala’s harbours to Andhra Pradesh. Marijuana was carried in hidden chambers when the vehicle returned from Andhra Pradesh.