In separate instances, special teams of the Government Railway Police and the Narcotic Intelligence Bureau CID of the State Police seized a little over 25 kilograms of ganja at the Tiruchi railway junction last month. The contraband was found in a trolley suitcase and inside travel bags lying abandoned in a general compartment of the Bhubaneswar- Rameswaram and Purulia - Tirunelveli inter-State express trains after they arrived at the Tiruchi railway junction. 

The banned substances found concealed in multiple packets during checks conducted by the GRP teams were subsequently handed over to the Narcotic Intelligence Bureau CID, Tiruchi unit for further legal action.  These two are among the many such incidents of confiscation of ganja by the Government Railway Police of Tiruchi District which has Tiruchi, Madurai and Tirunelveli sub divisions under its vast jurisdiction. 

Railway Police sources said 585.9 kilograms of ganja was seized in 2025 (January to December) by the GRP in Tiruchi, Madurai and Tirunelveli sub divisions. The seizure in Tiruchi sub division was 75.15 kg, while it was 314.5 kilograms and 196.2 kilograms in Madurai and Tirunelveli sub divisions respectively. 

In the current year up to March, ganja weighing 79.7 kilograms have been confiscated in the three sub divisions by the GRP.  The seizures of the contraband were made on railway premises and on board trains, the sources said

Illegal transportation of ganja through trains has been continuing if the quantum of seizures of the contraband made by the Government Railway Police teams last year and in the current year is any indication . Smuggling of contraband was found to be taking place mostly in inter-state express trains proceeding to various destinations in Tamil Nadu, said the railway police sources.

The seizures made last month were also in two inter-state express trains that were passing via the Tiruchi railway junction.  Ganja smuggled by the “carriers” through trains has been found to be of smaller quantity so that it could be carried easily in their personal belongings, said a GRP officer here. 

On many occasions, those smuggling the contraband were found to be travelling in a general compartment and keep the contraband concealed in the personal belongings below the seat and sit on the other end of the coach and keep a watch.  In case of surprise checks by the Railway Police team, the “carriers” simply abandon the belongings containing the contraband and alight to avoid getting caught.  

The sources said the railway police personnel are deployed on board in almost all night trains passing via the jurisdiction of the GRP, Tiruchi District. The focus is on inter-state express trains especially those coming from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to various destinations in Tamil Nadu as smuggling of ganja was found to be taking place mostly in such long distance trains, said the officer adding that efforts to check their illegal transportation were continuing.