Visakhapatnam, Dec 28: A 28-year-old Bengaluru-based software engineer has been arrested along with seven others for allegedly running a sophisticated cannabis smuggling operation that supplied high-quality Sheelavathi strain ganja from the Andhra-Odisha border to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
Gade Renuka, a native of Santhakaviti in Vizianagaram district, earned the nickname “lady don” for her extensive involvement in cannabis trafficking across multiple states, operating under the jurisdiction of Payakaraopeta, Narsipatnam, Saluru and Bengaluru police stations.
Police said this appears to be the first documented instance of cannabis from the Andhra-Odisha border being smuggled to Sri Lanka, marking a significant expansion of inter-country drug trafficking networks.
Renuka and her associate Surya Kalidas had rented a house in Narsipatnam to procure cannabis from Odisha and coordinate its distribution to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
Acting on credible intelligence, Narsipatnam Rural Police Inspector Y. Tarakeswara Rao and Nathavaram sub-inspector intercepted the gang near Srugavaram village, seizing 74 kg of dry cannabis, a car, two motorcycles and mobile phones.
Investigations revealed that Renuka had established an extensive network, renting houses in Bengaluru and Coimbatore to expand operations. Working through middleman Adduri Prasad, she procured cannabis from tribal suppliers A. Ravi Kumar, O. Lalitha Kumari and P. Mani Kumari, who sourced the contraband from Balimela and Chitrakonda areas in Odisha at Rs 5,000 per kilogram.
Drivers Madhan Kumar and Naga Muttu transported the consignments to Rajanagaram highway junction, from where they were routed to Tamil Nadu and ultimately Sri Lanka.
Police added that the gang also sold cannabis in small packets across Tamil Nadu, leveraging Renuka’s connections with state-based smugglers to push consignments across international borders into Sri Lanka.
The Sheelavathi strain sourced from the Andhra-Odisha border region is considered a premium variety of cannabis due to its high THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content, which produces stronger psychoactive effects. This particular strain commands significant demand in illegal markets due to its potency and ease of conversion into liquid forms for trafficking.
Authorities have warned that strict action will continue against cross-border narcotics networks operating in the region.
