A 44-year-old lorry driver and his accomplice were arrested by Paradarami police at police checkpost on the Tamil Nadu - Andhra Pradesh border near Gudiyatham town in Vellore on Wednesday for smuggling 75 kg of ganja that is estimated around ₹20 lakh.Police said the arrested persons were identified as lorry driver K. Venkatesan (44), a native of Tirupattur, and his accomplice B. Prakash (35), a resident of Tiruvannamalai. Initial inquiry revealed that Superintendent of Police (SP), A. Mayilvaganan has formed special teams to prevent smuggling and sale of ganja in the district. During a vehicle check at the police check post on the border village, the special police team stopped a lorry and checked it.Police found bundles of ganja that were wrapped with plastic sheets. The contraband was concealed under the driver’s seat. The lorry was coming from Chittoor district in A.P.During interrogation, the lorry driver Venkatesan told police that they were attempting to smuggle ganja to Tier-II cities like Coimbatore, Trichy and Madurai. Subsequently, the duo was arrested. The ganja and the vehicle that was used for transport were impounded. A case was registered. A probe is underway.Published - December 31, 2025 11:55 pm IST