Latest news with #SamadhanKantilalBhise
New Indian Express
29-07-2025
- New Indian Express
Biggest ganja haul of 2025: EAGLE nabs three in interstate smuggling bust
HYDERABAD: In the state's largest ganja seizure this year, the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) seized 935 kg of ganja worth Rs 5 crore and arrested three persons in an inter-state operation. The accused — Pawar Kumar Badu, Samadhan Kantilal Bhise and Vinayak Baba Saheb Pawar — had travelled from Maharashtra to Rajamahendravaram in a rented Toyota Innova on July 23. There, they met a supplier who loaded the ganja into a Tata Eicher truck. The Innova then escorted the truck to Maharashtra in a bid to evade checks. Concealed in fruit trays Acting on a tip-off, EAGLE teams from the Khammam Regional Narcotic Control Centre and Rachakonda Narcotic Police intercepted the convoy at Batasingaram Fruit Market Junction on the Vijayawada-Hyderabad National Highway. The vehicles were stopped at 3.05 pm after sustained surveillance on July 26.
India Today
29-07-2025
- India Today
Telangana anti-drug force seizes 935 kg ganja, busts inter-state smuggling racket
In a significant breakthrough in Telangana's intensified war on narcotics, the newly restructured Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) has seized 935.611 kilograms of ganja and dismantled a major interstate smuggling racket operating between Odisha and Maharashtra via Andhra Pradesh. The seized contraband is estimated to be worth around Rs 5 operation, one of the largest ganja seizures in 2025, reflects the enhanced capabilities of EAGLE, which has replaced the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau with a more agile and intelligence-led enforcement structure. Officials said the crackdown illustrates EAGLE's field readiness and its focus on coordinated, real-time July 26, officers of the RNCC Khammam and Rachakonda Narcotic Police Station received specific intelligence inputs about a convoy transporting bulk ganja in a Tata Eicher vehicle, with a Toyota Innova escort. The smuggling route was expected to pass through the Batasingaram Fruit Market Junction along the Vijayawada National Highway between 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm. Surveillance teams were deployed at the designated point, and at 3.05 pm, the two vehicles were intercepted. Upon inspection of the Tata Eicher truck, officers discovered 35 HDPE bags hidden beneath empty plastic fruit trays. These bags contained 455 ganja packets, each wrapped in brown adhesive tape. The entire seizure, amounting to 935.611 kilograms, was documented through photographs and video by the CLUES revealed that the operation was allegedly masterminded by Pawar Kumar Badu, a repeat offender under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, in coordination with two others — Sachin Gangaram Chouhan, who is currently absconding, and Odisha-based supplier Vicky three accused — Pawar Kumar Badu, Samadhan Kantilal Bhise, and Vinayak Baba Saheb Pawar — reportedly travelled from Maharashtra to Rajahmundry on July 23 in a rented Toyota Innova, where they met Sachin. The consignment of ganja was loaded into the Tata Eicher truck at that point. The convoy then proceeded towards Maharashtra, using the Innova as an escort vehicle to avoid to officials, the syndicate followed a credit-based operation model in which they financed local suppliers and maintained records to ensure steady movement and distribution of narcotics. Their involvement in the financing, transportation, and sale of the contraband has invoked charges under Section 27A of the NDPS arrested in the case include Pawar Kumar Badu, identified as the kingpin and financier of the operation, who was previously booked in Satara, Maharashtra. The other two, Samadhan Kantilal Bhise and Vinayak Baba Saheb Pawar, are alleged to have been responsible for driving and addition to the ganja, authorities seized six mobile phones, all linked to the criminal network and each with dual International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers, as well as the Tata Eicher and Toyota Innova vehicles used in the smuggling.A case has been registered under Sections 8(c), 20(b)(ii)(C), 27A, and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.- Ends IN THIS STORY#Andhra Pradesh#Telangana#Odisha#Maharashtra
Hans India
29-07-2025
- Hans India
EAGLE nabs 3 persons, seizes 935 kg of ganja worth Rs 5 crore
Hyderabad: In a major haul with far-reaching ramifications, a team of the EAGLE (Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement), seized 935.611 kilograms of ganja worth Rs 5 crore and busted a well-entrenched smuggling syndicate operating between Odisha and Maharashtra via Andhra Pradesh. This high-value seizure marks one of the largest ganja busts of 2025 and demonstrates the operational excellence of EAGLE. The police arrested Pawar Kumar Badu, believed to be the kingpin; financier of drug trafficking operation, Samadhan Kantilal Bhise, a hired driver who regularly transported ganja on commission; and Vinayak Baba Saheb Pawar, logistics assistant involved in transport and escort duties. Pawar was previously arrested in Satara, Maharashtra. Police seized 935.611 kg ganja – 455 packets in 35 HDPE bags, six mobile phones – linked to the criminal network, each with dual IMEIs, a lorry and a car from them. According to EAGLE, on July 26, the EAGLE unit at RNCC Khammam & Rachakonda Narcotic Police Station received a specific input regarding transportation of bulk ganja in a heavy vehicle escorted by a car. The smuggling convoy was expected to pass through Batasingaram Fruit Market Junction on the Vijayawada National Highway between 2pm and 4pm. A rapid response team led by RNCC Khammam & Rachakonda Narcotic Police Station deployed surveillance units and technical teams to the location. The target vehicles were successfully intercepted at 3 pm and brought under control. Upon inspection, 35 HDPE bags were found hidden beneath empty plastic fruit trays in the vehicle. These contained 455 packets of ganja, each sealed with a brown tape. The total weight of the contraband was measured at 935.611 kg, and the entire seizure process was documented with photography and videography by a CLUES Team. The arrested accused confessed that the operation was orchestrated by Pawar, a repeat NDPS offender from Maharashtra, in coordination with Sachin Gangaram Chouhan (absconding) and Vicky Seth (Odisha-based supplier). The trio of accused – Pawar Kumar, Samadhan Kantilal Bhise, and Vinayak Baba Saheb Pawar – travelled from Maharashtra to Rajahmundry on July 23 in a rented car. There, they met Sachin, who loaded the ganja consignment into a truck. The convoy set off towards Maharashtra with the car escorting the truck to evade checks. The ganja was concealed under fruit trays, and the syndicate operated on a credit-based model, financing local suppliers and buyers, maintaining accounts, and ensuring steady distribution channels. The investigation clearly establishes their role in financing, transporting, and distributing narcotics, invoking Section 27A of the NDPS Act. The case has been registered under the Section 8(c),Section 20(b)(ii)(C) ,Section 27A ,Section 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Time of India
29-07-2025
- Time of India
EAGLE nets 935 kg ganja in biggest bust this year
Hyderabad: Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) sleuths have busted an interstate ganja peddling racket and seized 935kg contraband worth 4 crore, in what is described as the state's largest narcotics haul this year. The accused were transporting the contraband from Odisha to Maharashtra. The contraband was intercepted on July 26 night at Batasingaram fruit market junction on the outskirts of the city on NH-65 based on specific intelligence inputs. 455 packets recovered You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad According to EAGLE sleuths, a Tata Eicher truck, carrying 35 sacks of ganja beneath empty plastic vegetable trays, was travelling in tandem with an Innova meant to scout for police pickets. The vehicles were brought to a halt by a police team and 455 packets of the contraband were recovered. Three peddlers — P K Badu, 34, Samadhan Kantilal Bhise, 27, and Vinayak BS Pawar, 29, were arrested on the spot, while alleged co-conspirators Sachin Gangaram Chouhan and Odisha-based supplier Vicky Seth remain at large. Badu, a repeat offender, had earlier been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Satara, Maharashtra. Investigators said the gang drove from Maharashtra to Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh on July 23, loaded the consignment and started their return journey. Chemical analysis "They were supposed to reach Solapur and distribute the contraband to different parts of Maharashtra." Rachakonda EAGLE team booked a case against the accused under relevant sections of the NDPS Act. All three accused were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody on Sunday. Samples of the seized ganja have been sent to the State Forensic Science Laboratory for chemical analysis. EAGLE team has appealed to citizens to report any suspicious activity related to drug possession, peddling, or transport at toll-free number '1908'. All identities of informants would be kept strictly confidential, an EAGLE official said.
NDTV
28-07-2025
- NDTV
935 kg Ganja, Valued At Rs 5 Crore, Seized By Telangana Officials
Hyderabad: A sophisticated intelligence-driven operation by Telangana's Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE), Telangana's newly restructured anti-narcotics wing, has resulted in the crackdown on a sophisticated interstate ganja smuggling syndicate. The operation resulted in the seizure of a staggering 935.611 kilograms of ganja, valued at Rs 5 crore, and the arrest of three key individuals. The massive bust highlights the intensified approach of EAGLE that recently replaced the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB) to enhance the state's fight against narcotics. Acting on precise intelligence, personnel from the Regional Narcotic Control Centre (RNCC) in Khammam and the Rachakonda police's narcotics wing set up surveillance at the Batasingaram fruit market junction on the Vijayawada National Highway on Saturday. At approximately 3:05 pm, a target goods vehicle, accompanied by an escort SUV, was intercepted. A thorough inspection of the goods vehicle revealed 35 HDPE bags ingeniously concealed beneath empty plastic fruit trays. These bags contained 455 packets of ganja, meticulously wrapped in brown tape, totaling the impressive haul of 935.611 kilograms. The arrested individuals have been identified as Pawar Kumar Badu, a known NDPS offender from Maharashtra, along with Samadhan Kantilal Bhise and Vinayak Baba Saheb Pawar. Preliminary investigations indicate that the trio had travelled from Maharashtra to Rajahmundry on July 23 in a rented SUV. There, they met with their Odisha-based supplier, Sachin Gangaram Chouhan, who loaded the ganja into the goods vehicle. The consignment was then transported with the SUV acting as a scout vehicle to evade police detection, showcasing the syndicate's sophisticated tactics. The operation also revealed a credit-based supply model and the maintenance of both digital and manual records, pointing to a highly organised illicit trade. A case has been booked under Section 27A of the NDPS Act, which addresses financing and harbouring of offenders, for their involvement in the procurement, transportation, and distribution of narcotic substances. In addition to the substantial ganja seizure, police confiscated the goods vehicle, the escort SUV, and several mobile phones, each equipped with dual SIM cards used for intricate communication and coordination. A widespread search is currently underway for the absconding supplier, Sachin Chouhan. The EAGLE is hoping a crackdown like this will serve as a strong deterrent to drug traffickers. EAGLE was formed in June 2025 by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy who announced its motto of "Zero Tolerance - Total Surveillance". The public has been requested to report any suspicious drug-related activity to the toll-free helpline number 1908, with the assurance of informant confidentiality.
