Pune Police Bust High-Tech Ganja Cultivation Racket In Pimpri-Chinchwad, Material Worth ₹3.45 Crore Seized
Pune Police Bust High-Tech Ganja Cultivation Racket In Pimpri-Chinchwad, Material Worth ₹3.45 Crore Seized
Pune police have exposed an advanced ganja cultivation and drug distribution network operating out of a rented apartment in Pimpri-Chinchwad, arresting five individuals and seizing narcotics, equipment and financial assets collectively valued at nearly ₹3.45 crore. Authorities have also frozen ₹7.80 lakh held in bank accounts, cryptocurrency wallets and foreign currency linked to the accused.
The investigation began with the arrest of a suspected drug peddler during routine patrolling in the Khadki area. Police detained Tushar Varma (21), a Delhi native currently residing in Susgaon, and recovered 1.194 kg of ganja along with an electronic weighing scale. A case was registered against him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
During questioning, Varma disclosed that he sourced the contraband from Sumit Deadwal and Akshay Maher. Based on this information, police traced and detained the duo from Sangvi. Officials said the accused initially attempted to divert the investigation, but sustained interrogation under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Somay Munde led to significant breakthroughs.
Further inquiry revealed that the accused had rented a flat in a crowded residential locality of Pimpri-Chinchwad, where they had established an illegal ganja cultivation unit. The setup involved hydroponic techniques and the cultivation of OG Kush variety cannabis plants. Police dismantled the operation and seized live plants, processed ganja stock and specialised cultivation equipment from the premises.
The probe was later expanded using technical surveillance and financial tracking, leading police teams to Mumbai and Goa. During these follow-up raids, another key accused, Malay Deliwala, was arrested. A large cache of narcotics was recovered, including ganja, charas, MD, psychedelic mushrooms, LSD blotter sheets, cannabis-infused gummies, MAMD tablets and CBD oil. Equipment used for packaging and distribution, such as digital weighing machines and currency-counting devices, was also confiscated.
Preliminary findings suggest that the group has links to an international drug trafficking network, supplying narcotics to peddlers across different parts of India and overseas. Investigators believe the syndicate relied on hawala routes and cryptocurrency transactions to launder and transfer illegal proceeds.
The crackdown was conducted as part of a special drive titled ‘Operation Alakh Niranjan’, under the guidance of senior Pune police officials. Authorities stated that the investigation is ongoing and further arrests are expected as the network is unravelled.
