Ahmedabad SOG arrests 3 with 18 kg marijuana worth ₹9 lakh, supplier traced to Maharashtra

The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Ahmedabad Police on Monday arrested three persons for allegedly transporting 18.3 kg of marijuana worth ₹9.15 lakh in a passenger autorickshaw, following a coordinated surveillance operation based on a tip-off. Police said the accused were intercepted near the Indian Petrol Pump, close to Mahakali Industries, around 6.30 pm on November 17.

The SOG officers had received specific information earlier that morning that a woman, identified as Rajeshwariben alias Chachli Rathod, and her associates were transporting a large consignment of ganja in a CNG autorickshaw travelling from Kalupur towards Naroda Patiya.

A raiding party was formed, and two government panch witnesses were summoned to the SOG office before the team proceeded to the spot. After keeping a watch near Mahakali Industries, police spotted an autorickshaw carrying three suspects and three heavy cloth bags.

The trio, Rajeshwariben, Bhaveshbhai Parmar and Sahil Garange, were detained. The autorickshaw driver told officers he had merely picked up the passengers with their luggage at Kalupur and was unaware of its contents.

Police said all three suspects consented in writing to be searched by the SOG officers. Upon inspecting the bags, officers found nine BOPP tape-wrapped parcels containing plant material emitting a distinct smell of marijuana. A forensic science laboratory (FSL) officer later conducted primary chemical tests at the SOG office, confirming the substance to be cannabis, pending final analysis.

Using a certified digital weighing scale brought to the SOG office, the narcotics were weighed at 18 kg 300 g. The seized marijuana was valued at ₹9.15 lakh. Police also recovered three mobile phones and ₹550 in cash from the accused. The total value of seized property, including packaging and other materials, was recorded at ₹9,35 lakh.

The suspects allegedly told police that they had procured the consignment from one Jyoti Tamche, a resident of Tardana village in Maharashtra’s Nandurbar district, for resale in the Kubernagar area.

After completing seizure formalities and preparing seal memos in the presence of panch witnesses, officers released the autorickshaw driver after concluding he had no role in the smuggling. The consignment and recovered items have been sealed and are to be sent for further forensic examination.

All three main accused have been booked under Sections of the NDPS Act. The investigation is ongoing to trace further links in the supply chain. Police said the operation was part of an ongoing crackdown on the smuggling of marijuana, charas and other narcotic substances in Ahmedabad.