A speaker in an autorickshaw was hollowed out and used to conceal six kgs of ganja, said the officers from the EAGLE Force who, along with Pet Basheerabad police, intercepted the vehicle on Sunday based on a tip off.

The police teams intercepted the auto (TG13 T 2464) near Devarayamjal on Monday (August 17) and apprehended five persons allegedly involved in transporting and selling the banned substance. The seized contraband was valued at ₹3 lakh.

The accused were identified as Mohammed Hamid of Nampally, Mohammed Abbas, an auto driver, both aged 30, Mohammed Mustafa, 25, a car driver; Irfan Khan, 29, an electrician, and Sayyad Afroz, 23, a petrol bunk worker. All are Hyderabad residents.

Police said Hamid had travelled to Nagpur around three months ago for a sandal procession at Tajuddin Dargah, where he came into contact with Shaik Sadiq, the alleged supplier. Hamid bought 2 kg marijuana from him for ₹36,000 and sold it in small packets to consumers, making a profit that encouraged him to expand the operation.

He subsequently roped in Abbas, Mustafa, Irfan and Afroz, promising them a share of profits based on the quantity they sold. The five travelled from Hyderabad to Nagpur in Hamid’s auto on August 15 and reached the city the following day.

Later on Sunday, Hamid met Sadiq near Tajuddin Dargah and paid ₹1 lakh in cash for 6 kg marijuana. The contraband was packed into multiple packets and hidden inside the auto’s speaker box before the group began its journey back to Hyderabad.

The trip ended near Pet Basheerabad on Monday, when EAGLE Force and local police intercepted the vehicle and seized the contraband. Five mobile phones were also seized.

Police said Hamid had previously been arrested in an extortion and Arms Act case registered at Banjara Hills police station in 2024.

Sadiq, the supplier from Nagpur, is absconding and efforts are on to nab him. Preliminary investigation also revealed that the accused targeted auto drivers, daily-wage labourers, caterers and other vulnerable groups around Nampally Railway Station, Nampally Dargah and Public Gardens. Police have so far identified more than 25 regular consumers linked to Hamid and are trying to trace other occasional buyers.