Mangaluru: Mangaluru law enforcement officials have apprehended four individuals in connection with the possession and transportation of a significant quantity of ganja. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police seized a total of 119 kg of the illegal substance during the operation.

The suspects, identified as Mohiudeen Shabbir (38) from Kasaragod, Mahesh Dwarakanath Pandey (30) from Thane, Ajay Krishnan (30) from Kerala, and Jeevan Singh (35) from Haryana, were intercepted while transporting the contraband. Authorities recovered the substance from two vehicles, a car and a goods mini truck, during a vehicle check conducted within the Konaje Police Station limits.

According to the police, the accused were smuggling ganja from Andhra Pradesh to Kerala. The illicit cargo was strategically hidden with 34 kg in the car and another 85 kg concealed within 40 packets inside fish trays in the mini truck. Investigators noted that the vehicles bore Andhra Pradesh and Kerala registrations, making the route harder to track.

The seized contraband is believed to have originated from the dense, Naxal-affected forests of Visakhapatnam, a known hub for ganja cultivation. Authorities have identified this region as a key source for the supply of ganja to Karnataka, Kerala, and other states.

Among those arrested, Mohiudeen Shabbir has an extensive criminal record, with 12 previous cases against him, including charges related to murder, illegal arms possession, cattle theft, and prior ganja-related offences. He was previously caught with 23 kg of marijuana. Ajay Krishnan has been linked to six different offences, while Mahesh Pandey was earlier arrested for smuggling 200 kg of ganja, and Jeevan Singh for 65 kg in separate cases.

Further investigations are underway and the police say such drives will continue,