Pune DRI seizes 835 kg Ganja worth Rs 1.25 crores, Biggest seizure in recent time

Sumit Singh

Pune : Based on a specific intelligence the officers of DRI, Pune Regional Unit with assistance from the officers and staff of Pune Customs intercepted a truck bearing Registration No. AP-27-W-2461 near the Pimplegaon Khadki on Manchar Nirgudsar Road on 19.05.2019.

The truck was being escorted by a Innova Crysta vehicle bearing Registration No. MH12 —QF-4567. The truck was being driven by Shri Amit Gyaneshwar Bidkar who was assisted by cleaner Shri Deepak .Th ree persons namely Shri Gundu Rao Patil, Ilaiyabkas Babamiyan Munde and Shri Naseer Gafoor Pathan were travelling in the Innova which was escorting the truck.

During detailed examination of the truck at Pune Customs office, it was found that a false bottom has been created in the carriage part of the truck which can be seen only after opening the bolts on particular places on the vertical side (balli) of the carriage space of the truck.Part of the iron sheet forming false bottom of the carriage part of the truck when pulled from side, exposed a cavity showing a false bottom seen from under the truck. The false bottom was found to be having rectangular packets wrapped with brown adhesive tape.

In total 149 such packets were recovered from the false bottom of the carriage way. On opening the said rectangular packets, they were found to contain greenish brown substance which is suspected to be Ganja. The total weight of the 149 packets was found to be 835.48 Kgs and the value of the seized goods comes to Rs 1,25,32,200. A case has been booked under the NDPS Act, 1985.

All the five persons were arrested under Section 42 of the NDPS Act, 1985. The entire contraband weighing 835.48 kgs, the truck used for carrying the contraband and the Innova Crysta vehicle were seized under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985. The above named 5 accused persons were initially remanded to Judicial Custody by the Hon’ble NDPS Court, Khed.

A new regional unit of DRI has started operations from Pune and this seizure has been one of the biggest seizures of Ganja in Pune in recent months.