Ahmedabad's Vatva police have arrested a man and a woman from Junagadh after seizing 9.92 kg of ganja, valued at Rs 4.96 lakh, from them on the S.P. Ring Road near the Ropda check-post. The contraband was allegedly being transported from Odisha to Junagadh via Ahmedabad.

The arrested accused have been identified as Karimsha Mahbubsha Rafai and Rijwanabanu Amadbhai Sehta, both residents of Junagadh. Police said the ganja was concealed in plastic bags under the guise of clothing.

Watch near Ropda crossroads

Acting on specific intelligence that a man and a woman carrying the contraband would pass through the area, a police team kept watch near the Ropda crossroads and intercepted the duo. A search led to the recovery of 9 kg and 920 grams of ganja packed in six parcels inside three plastic bags.

During questioning, Rijwanabanu reportedly told police that financial difficulties following her divorce had led her to work as a carrier. She allegedly said she had transported ganja from Odisha on four or five earlier occasions for people identified as Adil Saiyed of Junagadh and Faizan Memon of Veraval.

Cash trail and promised payment

According to the police, Adil had given her Rs 1 lakh in cash for the latest consignment. She allegedly paid Rs 90,000 to a man named Rabidas in Beramal village in Odisha to obtain the ganja and retained the remaining amount for travel and other expenses.

She was reportedly promised Rs 20,000 upon successful delivery of the consignment. Police said Rijwanabanu had recruited Karimsha to assist her, offering him Rs 1,000 per day for the trip.

Route and ongoing search

The duo allegedly travelled to Odisha by train, stopped in Nagpur and then reached Ahmedabad by private bus. They were transporting the consignment towards Junagadh when Vatva police intercepted them.

Police have registered a case against Adil Saiyed and Faizan Memon in connection with the alleged trafficking operation and launched a search to trace them. The investigation is underway to establish the roles of the accused and others allegedly involved in procuring and transporting the contraband.