The Tambaram City Police busted a network allegedly trafficking ganja from Odisha to Chennai using India Post parcels and seized 156.340 kg of the contraband from three persons.

As part of its ongoing special drive against narcotic drugs, the Tambaram Prohibition Enforcement Wing (PEW) received credible information that C. Venkata Subramanian, a native of Tamil Nadu residing in Odisha, was transporting ganja from Odisha to Tamil Nadu by car and distributing it in areas under the Tambaram City Police limits.

Acting on the information, a team from the Tambaram PEW kept the suspect under surveillance. At around 3.20 a.m. on August 4, the team, led by a Sub-Inspector of Police, intercepted a Toyota Fortuner carrying three persons at an open ground near Sirukalathur Fish Market.

The suspects were identified as C. Venkata Subramanian, 37, a native of Tirunelveli district and residing in Odisha; K. Suman, 27, of Tirusulam, Pallavaram; and S. Vigneshwaran alias Patlu, 22, of Thanjavur district.

During a search of the vehicle, police seized three parcels containing 55.7 kg of ganja. The three suspects were arrested and a case was registered by the Tambaram PEW under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

During further investigation, Venkata Subramanian alias Manian, the first accused, allegedly disclosed that he had sent seven postal parcels containing ganja from Odisha to Suman through India Post. The parcels had reportedly reached the Pallavaram Post Office, police said.

‘Turmeric used to hide smell’

Based on his statement, police seized the parcels and found 100.640 kg of ganja concealed inside them. Investigation revealed that turmeric powder had been sprinkled over the contraband to mask its odour during transportation, while the parcels were allegedly presented as consignments of turmeric.

With this seizure, the police recovered a total of 156.340 kg of ganja in the operation. The accused were produced before the Judicial Magistrate, Sriperumbudur, and remanded in judicial custody.

Tambaram City Police Commissioner Prem Anand Sinha said the police had busted a gang allegedly involved in the sale and trafficking of ganja in the Thirumudivakkam, Pallavaram, Tambaram, and Maraimalai Nagar areas.

Published - August 06, 2026 04:11 pm IST