International Drug Trafficking Ring Uncovered in Anakapalli; 213 kg of Cannabis Seized, Five Arrested

The Anakapalli district police have uncovered a major cannabis smuggling operation with international links, seizing 213 kilograms of the substance and arresting five individuals. The arrests were made on June 16, 2026, during a vehicle check at Lankelapalem Junction, Superintendent of Police Tuhin Sinha announced at a press conference on Wednesday.

The arrested persons have been identified as Shaikh Ajmal Khan (30) from Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu, his brother Shaikh Abdul Rahman of Narsipatnam, T. Durga Prasad of Narsipatnam, K. Lova Prasad, and Ch. Ravi Kumar of Pedabayalu. In addition to the cannabis, the police recovered approximately ₹95,000 in cash from the suspects.

Investigations revealed that the prime accused, Shaikh Ajmal Khan, has a criminal history connected to narcotics trafficking in Sri Lanka. According to the police, he was previously arrested by the Sri Lankan Narcotics Bureau in April 2022 for possession of 495 grams of methamphetamine and 8.5 kilograms of hashish oil. He was initially lodged in a Colombo prison and later transferred to the high-security Boossa prison in Galle. During his imprisonment, he is believed to have established contacts within international drug trafficking networks.

Khan was released on bail in October 2025, with the condition that he remain in Sri Lanka and attend court hearings; his passport was seized by Sri Lankan authorities. However, he allegedly entered India illegally via an unauthorised sea route and resumed narcotics smuggling with the assistance of his brother and other associates.

The police stated that Abdul Rahman and his accomplices procured cannabis from Odisha and transported it into Andhra Pradesh. The consignment was moved through Anakapalli and Narsipatnam, en route to Vijayawada, with further plans to transport it to Chennai and Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu. The network had both forward and backward linkages, and efforts are underway to apprehend six more individuals connected to the case.

The district police are coordinating with central investigating agencies, the Sri Lankan Embassy, and Sri Lankan police and prison authorities to gather additional information and proceed with legal action. The operation was conducted under the supervision of Parawada Sub-Division DSP Satyanarayana and Parawada Police Station Inspector R. Mallikarjuna Rao.