Chennai drug bust: 1,000 cops raid student flats, seize marijuana, hookahs & bhang; 21 arrested

Ganja and ganja infused chocolates were seized in the raid. (Representational)

A massive police operation in a gated residential complex in Chennai led to the arrest of 21 individuals, including college students and a known criminal, and uncovered a significant stash of banned substances, highlighting the growing issue of drug use among students in the area.

The raid conducted on Saturday morning in Potheri near Guduvancherry saw a 1,000-member police team, including 500 policewomen, storming the four-storey complex housing nearly 3,000 students, mostly from nearby engineering colleges, Times of India reported. The raid, led by Tambaram Additional Commissioner C. Mageshwari, was initiated following a specific tip-off. Over the course of five hours, the police combed through the 688 flats in 22 towers, documenting the contraband they uncovered.

The operation yielded 500 grams of marijuana, six ganja-infused chocolates, 20 milliliters of ganja oil, five packets of bhang, one smoking pot, seven hookahs, and 6kg of shisha (hookah powder).

A police officer involved in the raid told TOI that the students kept the contraband in small quantities and claimed to have kept it for their personal consumption. The officer further revealed that prior arrests of ganja smugglers had pointed to the involvement of students from this very complex in the distribution of larger quantities of drugs to other students and small-time peddlers.

Police also suspect that some students may have disposed of additional contraband in a nearby lake after noticing the raiding party's arrival, TOI reported. This suspicion is based on the limited quantity of drugs recovered compared to the reported activity in the area.

The operation also led to the discovery of 60 abandoned two-wheelers and one four-wheeler, suspected to be stolen, within the complex premises. The vehicles have reportedly been seized, and investigations are ongoing to trace their origins.

Among those arrested was G. Selvamani, a 29-year-old goon from Guduvancherry, who was caught while attempting to flee. Selvamani, who has a criminal history that includes 13 cases—two of which are murders—was found hiding with 2.25 kg of ganja and four knives.

In addition to the students and Selvamani, the police also arrested a local dhaba owner who had been selling ganja-infused chocolates to students. The chocolates, procured from Uttar Pradesh, were being sold discreetly, raising alarm over the far-reaching network of drug suppliers preying on vulnerable students.

The Tambaram police have stated that they will be sending a detailed report on the arrested students to their respective colleges, urging strict disciplinary action.