VIJAYAWADA: IG-rank officer and head of the Elite Anti-Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (EAGLE), Ake Ravi Krishna, reaffirmed the State’s zero-tolerance policy towards narcotics and warned of stringent action against drug peddlers and smugglers.
Speaking at an awareness session organised by Siddhartha Medical College under the Nasha Mukth Bharat Abhiyan, Ravi Krishna revealed that over the past six months, 740 NDPS cases were filed, more than 1,800 arrests made, and 19 tonnes of ganja seized. He also said assets of seven individuals were seized and eight were booked under the PIT-NDPS Act.
He noted that ganja cultivation has drastically reduced from 11,000 to 100 acres due to enforcement and awareness efforts.
Tools like drones, satellite imagery, and cordon-and-search operations have helped track and eliminate illegal cultivation.
Initiatives such as “Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Skills,” “Drugs Vaddu Bro,” and EAGLE Clubs in schools and colleges have seen positive impact. A 24/7 helpline, CAAL EAGLE 1972, has been launched for public alerts and quick response.