VIJAYAPURA: Using a drone camera, excise officials on Friday detected ganja worth `8 lakh grown at Hebbalatti village in Vijayapura on Friday.They located ganja cultivated amid lemon, banana and guava plants and seized 101 kg weed. Alleged cultivator Gurappa S K was arrested under the Goonda Act.
The department had earlier this year used a similar method to find marijuana plants cultivated in a vast expanse of lands. When it gets a tip off on the cultivation of the weed, it hires drone camera and operators for the detection.
As the use of technology during raids helps proper documentation apart from saving time, deputy commissioner of excise A Ravishankar is set to send a proposal to higher authorities seeking a drone camera for the district.
Speaking to Express, he said many farmers in this region grow marijuana amid their lemon, guava, banana, corn, cotton crops. “It is difficult to identify these illegal plants. A drone camera helps the department find weed cultivated in vast agricultural lands”, he said.
“If we find cultivation of marijuana in bagair hukum land, then the permission to cultivate the land will be cancelled and the farmer will be booked under the Goonda Act.”If the higher authorities provide a drone camera, then the department will train its personnel to operate the device, Ravikumar.