VISAKHAPATNAM: About 2 lakh kg of ganja worth nearly Rs 500 crore was consigned to flames in a programme held by police and the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) at Koduru village in Anakapalle mandal on Saturday. The contraband was seized by the SEB in raids conducted by it at different places in the State in the last one year under Operation Parivartana. This is for the first time seized ganja of such a huge quantity was destroyed at one go in the country. DGP D Gautam Sawang participated in the destruction of seized ganja.
The DGP said ganja cultivation has been in vogue in villages in Andhra Odisha Border areas for several decades. Drug trafficking gangs from several States are involved in cultivation of ganja in AOB area. Ganja is being cultivated in interior areas of Paderu, Chintapalli and Narsipatnam. ‘Operation Parivartana’ is aimed at making Visakhapatnam Agency ganja-free.
As part of Operation Parivartana, ganja plantations are also being destroyed by the SEB after conducting raids. Tribals have realised the harmful effects of ganja and started staying away from its cultivation. As part of Operation Parivartana, 406 special teams have destroyed ganja crop worth `9,251.32 crore in 7,552 acres in 11 Agency mandals, he added.