Six Caught With Rs 1.5 Crore Hash Oil as Demand Rises Amid Ganja Crackdown in Hyderabad

Law enforcement agencies across Hyderabad have seized 12 kilograms of hash oil worth an estimated Rs 1.5 crore and apprehended six persons, including an IT employee and two 17-year-old boys, in a recent operation targeting the trafficking of concentrated cannabis extracts.

According to police officials, the suspects were caught while transporting the contraband from Andhra Pradesh to Bengaluru via Hyderabad. Organisers of the network had reportedly recruited unemployed tribal youth from neighbouring villages, offering them money to ferry the illicit cargo.

The seizure comes amid a noticeable rise in the demand for hash oil among drug users in the city. Sustained enforcement crackdowns on conventional dry ganja have prompted smuggling syndicates to shift their focus toward more potent, compact, and lucrative cannabis derivatives.

Hash oil is a concentrated extract derived from the cannabis plant containing high levels of cannabinoids, particularly delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Because of its high concentration, even small amounts deliver significantly stronger effects than equivalent quantities of dry leaf cannabis. Unlike dry ganja, which is typically smoked in rolled cigarettes, hash oil is a viscous substance consumed through smoking or vaping.

Officials from the Prohibition and Excise Department noted that gangs operating in the agency areas of Andhra Pradesh are heavily involved in producing the extract. The oil is easier to conceal and transport than bulky marijuana. Smugglers move the contraband across state lines to local peddlers, who repackage it into small 5 ml and 10 ml containers. An official from the EAGLE Force stated that a 5 ml bottle currently sells on the illegal market for between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,500.

Investigators noted that the primary consumers of hash oil in the city are college students and young working professionals. Some individuals have taken to sourcing the substance and reselling it to peers and colleagues for profit.

Joint operations involving the EAGLE Force, special teams from the Prohibition and Excise Department, and police units across the Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Malkajgiri commissionerates have led to multiple arrests of individuals involved in the trade in recent days.