Bengaluru: Police in Andhra Pradesh’s Anakapalle district have busted a cross-border ganja trafficking network and arrested eight people, including a Bengaluru-based software engineer who allegedly emerged as a key player in the operation, according to Times of India report.

Nathavaram police said the racket involved the supply of high-quality Sheelavathi strain ganja from the Andhra–Odisha border to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, marking what investigators believe is the first known instance of ganja from the region being smuggled to Sri Lanka. In recent years, the Sheelavathi strain has surged in popularity across India, eclipsing the famed Malana Cream.

The prime accused, 28-year-old Gade Renuka, a native of Santhakaviti in Vizianagaram district, was working as a software engineer in Bengaluru. Police said her growing influence in the illegal trade earned her the moniker “lady don.” She was allegedly active across Payakaraopeta, Narsipatnam, Saluru and Bengaluru.

Investigators said Renuka, along with her associate Surya Kalidas, had rented a house in Narsipatnam to procure ganja sourced from Odisha and channel it onwards to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Acting on a tip-off, a police team led by Inspector Y. Tarakeswara Rao intercepted the gang near Srugavaram village, seizing 74 kg of dry ganja, a car, two motorcycles and several mobile phones.

Police probing revealed that Renuka had built a wider network by renting houses in Bengaluru and Coimbatore to expand the operation. With the help of a middleman, Adduri Prasad, the gang allegedly purchased ganja from tribal communities in Balimela and Chitrakonda in Odisha at around Rs 5,000 per kg.

Drivers Madhan Kumar and Naga Muttu were reportedly used to transport the consignments to the Rajanagaram highway junction, from where the ganja was routed further to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Officials added that the gang also sold ganja in smaller packets across Tamil Nadu, using Renuka’s links with local smugglers to push consignments overseas.