CHENNAI: A special court in Chennai sentenced three drug peddlers to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment for smuggling 221 kilograms of ganja.

The Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB), Chennai, moved the special court under NDPS Act, seeking punishment for three drug peddlers from Maharashtra. According to the NCB, its Chennai unit got a tip-off about an illegal transport of ganja from Andhra Pradesh to Chennai on August 10, 2018. Based on the information, the NCB team set up surveillance and spotted two cars near Karanodai toll plaza, Chennai. During the check, they found 221.5 kilograms of ganja concealed in small packets in the cars. The NCB arrested the trio, Sheikh Ansar, Sheikh Ahmed and Sushil Thakare all of them from Amravati, Maharashtra, who smuggled the ganja from Andhra Pradesh to Chennai.

After hearing the arguments, the first additional special judge of the NDPS court J Juliet Pushpa found all three accused guilty under 8 (c) r/w 20 (b) (ii) 8 (c) r/w 29 (1) of the NDPS Act. The accused was sentenced to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 2.40 lakh for each person. If the criminals fail to pay the fine amount, their imprisonment would be extended to another six months, said the judge.

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