Ganja worth 1.76L seized in Vansda, one held

Surat: The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Navsari police has busted an illegal ganja cultivation racket in Vansda taluka and arrested one person, officials said.Acting on a tip-off, SOG inspector R S Patel and his team carried out a search operation in Ghodmal village, located along the Gujarat-Maharashtra border. During the operation, police deployed a drone and detected ganja plants in a farm.The farm belonged to Manish Bhagariya (26), who was apprehended on the spot. Police seized 94 ganja plants weighing 3.525 kg, with an estimated market value of Rs 1.76 lakh.During interrogation, Bhagariya told police that he had sown the seeds about three months ago. He had allegedly procured the seeds from Jay Pandit, a resident of Vansda town, who is currently absconding.Police said the accused had attempted to conceal the cultivation by planting the crop under a mango tree and covering it with clay to avoid detection.Bhagariya has been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. A search is on to trace the supplier, and further investigation is underway.