Two held, ganja worth Rs 72 lakh seized in Udupi

Udupi: In a major crackdown on narcotics trade, Udupi district police arrested two men and seized 65 kg of ganja along with valuables worth Rs 72.21 lakh during an operation in Kadekar village. Police said the accused, identified as Ganesh (38) from Mysuru district and P. Gopal Reddy (43) from Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, were intercepted near Kinnimulki Swagatha Gopura while allegedly preparing to sell the contraband.

The seizure included 65.039 kg of ganja, two mobile phones worth Rs 20,000, cash of Rs 1,520, and a lorry valued at Rs 20 lakh, suspected to have been used for transportation. The seized ganja is valued between Rs 32 lakh and Rs 50 lakh.

The operation was led by ASP Harsha Priyambada and DySP D T Prabhu, with support from the CEN Crime Police, Malpe Police, and Udupi Traffic Police.

Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar said the ganja is believed to have been sourced from the Andhra–Odisha border. “We suspect a wider network behind this operation, and further investigation is under way,” he said. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act.