Ahmedabad Police nab 3 for import and sale of hybrid cannabis

Ahmedabad: The rural police have apprehended three individuals for their alleged involvement in the import and distribution of hybrid cannabis in India.

Acting on a tip-off received on Tuesday, the Special Operations Group (SOG) in an operation nabbed Lalit Bais, a resident of Sarkhej suspected of drug peddling. Lalit was found with 10.05 grams of hybrid cannabis and 27.45 grams of charas in his possession. Bais reportedly informed the police that he was working as a courier for Archit Agrawal, a 27-year-old resident of Applewoods Villas in Sanathal, who was subsequently arrested by the Bopal police under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Agrawal had employed Bais on a monthly salary of Rs 15,000 and had provided him with a motorcycle for drug deliveries.

Upon interrogation, Agrawal led the police to a buyer named Jayraj Patel in Gurukul. A joint team from Ahmedabad rural police and Ghatlodia police conducted a raid at Patel’s residence on Thursday night, recovering 373 grams of cannabis. Patel had moved to India from the US in 2020, is into manufacturing and export of LED lights.

The police have confiscated a total of 383 grams of hybrid cannabis and 27.45 grams of charas in their ongoing investigation. They have also uncovered evidence of multiple shipments of this narcotic entering India. Archit Agrawal, the main suspect, had utilized an Instagram profile to share information about various cannabis varieties. Since July 2022, he had been sourcing cannabis from Thailand, concealing the illicit substance within containers filled with toys and protein powder tins. Online conversations between Agrawal and international buyers and drug smugglers have revealed transactions totaling Rs 98 lakh.

Furthermore, the police are examining Agrawal’s cryptocurrency transactions as part of their investigation. It is also learnt that Agrawal faces another complaint related to an incident on July 9, where he allegedly ran over a 46-year-old man named Balsang Cheharji. This complaint has been filed with the M Division traffic police. DeshGujarat