BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Police on Friday said it has set a target to completely eradicate the drugs menace from the state by 2029.
Addressing mediapersons, DGP YB Khurania said their goal is to completely wipe out ganja and other narcotics trade from the state within the next three years. The police will launch a special statewide drive against narcotics trade from its 91st Foundation Day on April 1 this year which will continue till March 2029.
“Ganja cultivation and smuggling in the state mostly took place in Naxal-affected areas. It served as an easy source of income for the red ultras and they continued to engage in anti-social activities through the money earned from illegal cultivation in dense forested regions,” said Khurania.
However, due to the continuous and resolute action, Naxals who were once active in 12 districts, are now confined to just two to three districts. “In districts like Gajapati, Rayagada and Koraput, cannabis cultivation has decreased by about 50 per cent because of firm police steps,” he added.
Khurania asserted the police’s well-planned strategy has heavily hit the drug mafia’s network in the state in the recent years. He also informed that between January 2025 and February this year, the police recorded an unprecedented success in its anti-narcotics campaign.
“During the period, cannabis cultivation worth Rs 1,444 crore was destroyed and the contraband weighing 2, 69,166 kg and amounting to Rs 1,346 crore was seized. About 1,862 litre of cannabis oil worth ‘200 crore, over 20 kg brown sugar amounting to Rs 41.7 crore and cough syrup to the tune of Rs 10.17 crore were also seized,” said Khurania.
In 2025, 670 cases were registered, seven persons arrested and ganja cultivation spread over 29,493 acre land was destroyed. This year, 357 cases have been registered, 28 persons arrested and ganja cultivation over 18,667 acre of land destroyed so far. According to the police, 1,389 cases were registered against sale of ganja and 1,991 drug dealers/peddlers arrested in 2025. While police registered 217 cases and apprehended 343 persons in the last two months.
Similarly, police registered 445 cases against sale of brown sugar and arrested 910 peddlers since January last year. During the period, police also arrested 654 inter-state drug traffickers. Along with the enforcement activities, they are also emphasising on awareness and rehabilitation.
Currently, 41 de-addiction centres are functioning in 29 districts with central government funding and 11 with state government funding. So far, 19,395 drug addicts have been reintegrated into the mainstream society, police added.