Vizag range police secure 129 convictions in 72 ganja cases

Visakhapatnam: The Vizag Range police secured 129 convictions in 72 ganja related cases between June 2024 and April 2026. Properties worth over Rs11.6 crore belonging to 18 ganja smugglers have been seized, and proposals have been submitted to invoke the PIT NDPS Act against 114 accused. The increase has reflected a spike in both the number of illegal drug trade and the intensity of raids of the enforcement agencies.Deputy inspector general Visakha Range Gopinath Jatti said over the past few years, arrests of ganja smugglers and seizure of the smugglers' properties under the Narcotic Drugs Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR), Anakapalle and Parvathipuram Manyam districts have been increasing due to increased enforcement. He conducted a comprehensive review meeting on the progress and control of NDPS with the superintendent of police (SPs) of the five districts and directed the officials to implement a 100-day action plan to completely eradicate the supply and use of drugs. The police observed that inter-state smugglers have been procuring the cannabis from parts of the neighboring Odisha and the weed was smuggling through Odisha and the Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) region A unique strain of cannabis called Sheelavathi, which is predominantly grown in the AOB region, has been gaining popularity in parts of the country, they added. The police gave orders to conduct investigations into the financial transactions and assets of those involved in cannabis trade in Visakha Range. Despite the increase in arrests and seizures of cannabis in the region, the inter-state drug peddlers have been adopting innovative methods to transport the weed from Rayagada, Udayagiri, Brahmapur and Parlakhemundi from neighbouring Odisha and they have been transporting the weed in cars as well as in trains to various locations in the country, the police added.