Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jan 3: Mangaluru city police have arrested two persons and seized 21 kg and 450 grams of ganja allegedly brought from Odisha for sale in the city during the New Year period. The operation was carried out by Surathkal police following specific intelligence inputs on January 3, 2026.
Acting on information that ganja was being illegally stored in a car for sale, police conducted a raid near a house named “Benaka” at 2nd Cross, Parameshwari Nagar, Chokkabettu village, within the jurisdiction of Surathkal police station.
The arrested accused were identified as Pradeep Poojary (32), son of late Narayana Poojary, a native of Shalemajalu in Mangaluru taluk and presently residing in a rented house at Chokkabettu, and Vasantha (42), son of K Venkappa Poojary, a resident of Chitrapura, Mangaluru.
During the raid, police seized 21.450 kg of ganja valued at Rs 10,72,500, along with three mobile phone handsets worth about Rs 7,000, a Swift car bearing registration number KA-04-MD-2532 used to transport the contraband and valued at Rs 3 lac, three luggage bags used to store the ganja, two strips used for ganja consumption, and Rs 1,000 in cash. The total value of the seized ganja, vehicle and other articles was estimated at Rs 13,86,500.
During interrogation, the accused reportedly told police that they had procured the ganja from Odisha on December 29, 2025, with the intention of selling it in Mangaluru in connection with New Year celebrations. However, due to heavy police deployment and heightened surveillance across the city, they were unable to sell the contraband and had kept it stored inside the car.
A case has been registered at Surathkal Police Station in Crime No. 01/2026 under Sections 8(c) and 20(b)(ii)(C) of the NDPS Act, and further investigation is underway.
Police said that Pradeep Poojary is a habitual offender, with several criminal cases registered against him in different police stations. These include theft cases registered at Bajpe police station in 2020, a serious criminal case registered at Barke police station in 2015 involving charges such as unlawful assembly, murder and attempt to murder, another theft case at Belthangady police station in 2020, an NDPS case at Dharmasthala police station in 2019, a case at Mulki police station in 2018 involving preparation for dacoity, criminal conspiracy and offences under the Arms Act, an NDPS case at Surathkal police station in 2023, and an attempt-to-murder case registered at North police station in 2015.
The operation was carried out under the leadership of North sub-division ACP Sri Srikanth K, with the assistance of ASI Chandrashekar, head constables Reji M, Damodar, Halesh Naik, Sunil Padnad and Sampath, and Surathkal police inspector Pramod Kumar, PSI Raghunayak, and staff members Annappa, Ajith Mathew and Anjinappa.
Police said the seizure has dealt a significant blow to drug trafficking attempts targeting festive crowds in Mangaluru.