Police Catch Drug Smuggler in Choutuppal
Drug traffickers have been changing their methods to avoid getting caught and continue their illegal activities. A group of inter-state smugglers who had been operating for years was finally caught by the police in Choutuppal. The details were shared by Bhongir DCP M Rajesh Chandra during a press conference on Sunday.
The main accused, Nakul Kailash Gaikwad (36), is from Ramnagar Colony in Beed district, Maharashtra. He worked as a driver and was previously involved in smuggling with a man named Pramod. Due to disputes, he started operating on his own and had been smuggling drugs for the past five years.
On the night of February 28, Nakul traveled to Kannuripalem village in Anakapalli district, Andhra Pradesh. There, he bought 102 kg of ganja from a supplier named Veerababu. He packed the ganja into 51 packets, each weighing two kilograms, and hid them in the trunk of his car before heading to Maharashtra.
To avoid being caught, Nakul carefully planned his route, passing through Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. He also changed the number plates of his Maruti Swift Dzire according to the state he was traveling in, making it difficult for police to track him.
However, the police received a tip-off from a concerned citizen. They set up roadblocks and intensified vehicle checks at the Pantanga toll plaza in Choutuppal. When they spotted a car without a proper number plate, they grew suspicious. After stopping and searching the vehicle, they found the hidden ganja packets.
Nakul was immediately arrested. The police seized 102 kg of ganja, two mobile phones, ₹2,000 in cash, and multiple vehicle number plates from different states. During interrogation, he revealed that the ganja was meant for distribution in Maharashtra through a dealer from Uttar Pradesh named Setu. The supplier, Veerababu from Narsipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, was also involved.
For their swift action, the police officers who solved the case were rewarded by Rachakonda CP. The DCP urged the public to help in the fight against drug trafficking by reporting any illegal activities. He assured that the identity of informants would be kept confidential.
ACP Patolla Madhusudhan Reddy, CI Manmadh Kumar, SI Bhaskar Reddy, Yadagiri, and other police personnel were also present at the press meet.
