A 45-year-old man, who was cultivating opium in an agricultural field in Lemur village in Kandukur mandal in Rangareddy district, was arrested by the Rachakonda police here on Thursday.
Police seized 20 bags and a mobile phone, including 390 kg of opium poppy, valued at ₹ 20 lakh each, from the possession of Dandupalli Chennakeshavulu, a native of Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh. The accomplice of 43-year-old Dhimir Venkataraman of Chittoor district was arrested by the Special Enforcement Bureau of Madanapalle Police on 16 March.
Police said the accused cultivated the drug-growing plant and sold it to their customers in and around Bengaluru.
Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat said, “There were good contacts in Bengaluru with people who were ready to purchase opium poppy for a high rate.”
He said the duo took a land parcel on lease for the past few months and cultivated a restricted crop.
Taking action on the tip-off, the Kandukur police raided Lemur village, found poppy poppy and arrested Chennakeshavulu.
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