2 held, 198 kg ganja seized

Bapatla: District Superintendent of Police B Umamaheswar informed that Martur police have arrested two suspects, seized 198 kg cannabis being illegally transported and confiscated a mini truck used for smuggling.

The arrested were identified as Manjunath Erappa (32) and Karthik Hanur Rajappa (19), both residents of Changavadi village in Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka.

Manjunath works as a halting driver, while Karthik is a labourer.

The SP said that the duo was contacted by a Tamil Nadu native six months ago. They left Hanur on January 27, 2026 and went to Tuni on January 29, where they collected 99 packets of cannabis weighing approximately 198 kgs.

They loaded the contraband into their Bolero mini truck and headed toward Bengaluru.

Acting on intelligence received by the district police, CI Y Srinivasa Rao and his team conducted vehicle inspections at Bollapalli Toll Plaza and apprehended the suspects on Friday at 10 am, seizing cannabis packets, two cell phones, and the vehicle.

The SP said that a case has been registered under NDPS Act-1985.