Ganja Trade: Cops comb Agency villages in Godavari districts

Rajamahendravaram: A high-level vigilance panel has been set up to monitor the secret transport of ganja in the Agency areas in the East Godavari district as per the directives of Director General of Police (DGP) Gowtam Sawang and Eluru Range DIG KV Mohan Rao.

For tracking the anti-social elements indulging in the illicit trade, all villages in the Agency areas have come under the vigilance of the police. Every vehicle passing through the area is being checked thoroughly to find out if any ganja is transported.

They are also creating awareness among the tribals for abandoning the illicit trade of ganja and helping them to seek a wholesome alternative cultivation. They are explaining to tribals regarding the disadvantages and harm in choosing ganja cultivation and transport. They are also making them alert and vigilant over the ganja trade and their step towards giving up the ganja trade.

DIG Mohan Rao made officials alert and vigilant for preventing the ganja trade in the twin districts of Godavari. The police are making thorough checks on the pivotal transport places like railway stations, the RTC complex, parcel services and national highways. The police are highly alert about the illicit trade of ganja in almost all the areas prone to the illicit trade.

As part of Operation Parivarthana, the police in Eluru range have taken up search operations in a big way to seize the ganja being smuggled from agency area to plain areas for the past one week in East and West Godavari districts. So far the police seized 5,171 kg of ganja and arrested 150 persons in various cases in East and West Godavari, Rajamahendravarm urban and Krishna rural districts. In West Godavari alone the police seized 650 kg of ganja.

Eluru range DIG KV Mohan Rao said that cases under the Preventive Detention Act would be registered against the offenders who repeated the crime of ganja smuggling. He said all the police superintendents within the Eluru range have swung into action personally and are supervising the search operations on national highways, railway stations, bus stations and parcel booking offices.

He said that an anti-drug campaign is being conducted in all colleges including engineering, medical and universities to bring awareness among the students. He said check posts are being arranged on national highways to keep an eye on the smuggling of ganja in vehicles. On an average five cases are booked per day in the range.

The accused who were arrested in ganja cases were sent to all police stations to track their movements.

East Godavari Superintendent of Police M Ravindranath Babu said that ganja cultivated in Odisha state is transported to Chinturu Agency and from there it is being transported to other States. He said that vigilance has been kept throughout the day and night regarding the cultivation and transport in Chinturu Agency.

He said that ganja cultivation is made extensively and on a large scale in Odisha State and it is transported to other States via Chinturu agency. He said that they are adopting various methods for exporting ganja, particularly using motor vehicles, by walking and other modes for transporting ganja.

In view of the constant raids and vigilance the cultivation and transporting have been considerably reduced and it is concentrated on Odisha. He said that as per the instructions of the DGP Gowtam Sawang a thorough check up as well as vigilance halted the illegal trade ganja.

He said that consequently ganja trading has been considerably reduced in the district. SP said that they are now focused on hashish oil (liquid ganja) as part of their massive enforcement drive Parivarthana.

SP Ravindranath Babu instructed the officials to open a history sheet of those who were caught in the raids. He said that those who are buying ganja will be caught very shortly.

He stated that stringent action will be taken against those dealing in ganja trade. SP requested the public to inform them of illegal transportation, storage and sale of drugs including ganja and others.