Hyderabad: A special team from Telangana excise and prohibition department have arrested an Odisha native for her alleged involvement in a large-scale ganja smuggling network.
The arrested has been identified as Sangeeta Sahu (29), alias Geeta Sahu, of Khallikote in Ganjam district.
The team travelled to Odisha and arrested her with the help of the local police. She was then brought to Hyderabad for questioning on Wednesday.
Sahu has been actively involved in the wholesale distribution of ganja for the past four years and had frequented the city earlier. She operated close to Bhubaneswar and had developed connections with major ganja traders across multiple states, supplying large quantities of the contraband based on the demand, The Hindu reported.
Her network extended across Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and other metropolitan cities, with Hyderabad being one of her primary markets. She allegedly transported bulk quantities of ganja, primarily through railway routes, by offering high commissions to recruited smugglers.
“Sahu lured aspiring actors and influencers into drug trafficking by posing as an actress on social media. She reportedly used her online presence—posting singing and dancing videos—to attract individuals into her illicit operations,” Deccan Chronicle reported, quoting Director of Excise STF Enforcement Kamalasan Reddy.
She was booked for supplying ganja to Sahu Bai, Sheela Bai, Ishank Singh, and others, residents of Old City’s Dhoolpet area.
Reports further stated that government railway police arrested Sahu for smuggling ganja in 2022. She was also sentenced to jail time but refused business after being released.
