Pune Crime Branch Busts ₹20 Lakh Marijuana Racket; LPG Crisis Pushes Dhaba Owner Into Drug Trade
Pune Crime Branch Busts ₹20 Lakh Marijuana Racket; LPG Crisis Pushes Dhaba Owner Into Drug Trade
Pune, March 23, 2026: The Crime Branch of Pune Police has arrested four individuals, including a roadside dhaba owner from Karmala, in connection with a marijuana trafficking case worth approximately ₹20 lakh.
The arrests were made on March 13 along the Kesnand–Wadebolhai Road by a team led by Senior Inspector Santosh Sonawane and Assistant Inspector Madan Kamble, along with other personnel.
The accused have been identified as Bhiwa Kalidas Waghmode (36), his relative Vishnu Bhagwat Waghmode (28), Hari Shripati Dhawale (32), and Manoj Anil Surwase (29), all residents of Karmala in Solapur district.
Police officials said the team intercepted the suspects’ vehicle and recovered 58.5 kg of marijuana during the search. Subsequent raids conducted in Karmala and nearby villages led to the seizure of an additional 14 kg of the contraband.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the main accused, who operates a roadside dhaba, allegedly turned to drug trafficking after facing financial difficulties, reportedly due to challenges in procuring commercial LPG cylinders for his business. The group had allegedly travelled to Pune to sell the narcotics.
Officials confirmed that the seized marijuana was of high quality and examined over two days. Police are now searching for another accused believed to be the supplier and are also verifying whether the arrested individuals have any prior criminal records.
Further investigation into the case is ongoing.
