Mangaluru: The Excise officials waylaid an auto-rickshaw and seized 450 gms of ganja, near the Bangrakulooru bridge in Dumbel here recently.

On sighting the officials, the rickshaw driver Suraj, managed to flee. The hunt for him is on.

The officials have informed that the owner of the rickshaw Raghuram, a resident of Kuppepadav will be arrested soon.

The operation was carried by Deputy Superintendent (excise) Ashalatha, Inpector Sunitha, Santhosh Kumar and SDA staff Vaman, Saiprasad Suvarna, Umesh guided by Deputy Commissioner of Excise LA Manjunath under the direction of Joint Commissioner (excise) Rajendra Prasad.