Excise officials with the accused and the seized contraband near the RTA office in Bhadrachalam, Khammam district, on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: By Arrangement
Three individuals were arrested and over 16 kilograms of ganja was seized by the excise department officials during separate operations in and around Hyderabad on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
In the first case, a duo was arrested while transporting ganja during vehicle checks near the Regional Transport Authority office in Bhadrachalam, Khammam district. The accused were identified as Raghu Vishnoi, a resident of Jeedimetla in Medchal-Malkajgiri district, and Shekhar Ram, son of Pokar Ram, a native of Jodhpur in Rajasthan.
Officials seized 15.070 kilograms of dried ganja concealed inside the vehicle bearing registration number TG 08 HQ 9088. During questioning, the accused revealed that the contraband was sourced from Malkangiri of Odisha and was being transported to Hyderabad for illegal sale.
The seized ganja, car used for transportation, two mobile phones, all worth ₹10.73 lakh, alongside the accused, were handed over to the Bhadrachalam Excise Station for further investigation.
Meanwhile, Rangareddy excise department officials arrested Mohammed Zaheer while trying to sell ganja in Saroornagar. The officials seized 1.110 kilograms of ganja from him. The seized contraband, along with the accused and a motorcycle, was handed over to the Saroornagar Excise Station for further investigation.
In a separate operation, officials seized 38 liquor bottles during vehicle inspections conducted at Pahadishareef on the outskirts of the city. Acting on specific information that liquor was being illegally brought into Telangana from Delhi and Goa through the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, a State Task Force team carried out checks. The seized liquor bottles were later handed over to the Meerpet Excise Station for further action.
The excise department appealed to the public to share any information related to the illegal transportation or sale of cannabis through the toll-free number 1800 425 2523, with assurance that the identity of informants will be kept confidential.
Published – February 05, 2026 06:39 pm IST
