Vadodara, April 4 (IANS) Three persons were arrested with 267 grams of illegal hybrid ganja valued at around Rs 9.34 lakh during a raid by the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of Gujarat CID (Crime) in Vadodara district, officials said on Saturday.

The operation was carried out on Friday at Mosampura village near Kundhela Road on University Road under Dabhoi police station limits in Vadodara rural.

Acting on specific intelligence, an ANTF Vadodara Zone team conducted the raid.

“During the raid, three suspicious persons were found in possession of 267 grams of illegal hybrid ganja from the dickey of their two-wheeler vehicle,” the ANTF said.

The arrested accused have been identified as Dinesh Thakor, 34, a resident of Krishna City, Kelanpur; Vishal Parmar, 32, a resident of Pratapnagar; and Raj Onganiya, 28, a resident of Sarvodaya Nagar, all in Vadodara.

A fourth accused, identified as Asif from Vapi, is currently absconding.

A case has been registered under Sections 8(c), 20(II)(A) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and further investigation is in progress.

Police said the seizure includes hybrid ganja worth Rs 9,34,500, three mobile phones worth Rs 15,000, one two-wheeler valued at Rs 80,000, cash amounting to Rs 4,270 and a DVD worth Rs 200, taking the total estimated value of seized property to Rs 10,33,970.

“The accused were arrested on the spot, and further investigation has been handed over to Dabhoi police station in Vadodara rural,” the department stated.

The operation forms part of a broader crackdown on narcotics in Gujarat.

In a similar operation a day earlier, the ANTF’s Gandhinagar Zone team intercepted a government bus near Chiloda crossroads and arrested two persons with nearly 12 kg of ganja valued at around Rs 5.97 lakh.

The accused were allegedly transporting the illegal narcotics for distribution, and a case was registered under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act, with further investigation handed over to the local police.

–IANS

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