VISAKHAPATNAM: Director General of Police Gautam Sawang stressed the need for a concerted effort to curb the menace of ganja trafficking. An inter-state coordination meeting on strategies to combat narcotics trafficking with top police and officials from all southern states, including AP, Telangana Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Odisha, national agencies Narcotics Control Bureau and DRI, forest, and TIDA officials was held here on Monday. The marathon meeting went on for almost five hours.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, the DGP said ganja cultivation and trafficking have been taking place across the country. “Ganja cultivation has been going on in agency areas of AOB for more than half a century. However, a concerted effort has not been made to end the menace and the only time an effort was made to destroy ganja cultivation was in 2017,” he observed.
He said all stakeholders have come together to combat the menace of ganja trafficking and cultivation. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the SEB and police to take concerted steps to combat ganja cultivation and transport.
Ganja cultivation is going on in the Agency areas of Visakhapatnam and to some extent in East Godavari and Vizianagaram. In Odisha, ganja cultivation has been going on in Ganjam, Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri and some northern districts. Officers from Andhra and Odisha discussed strategies to check ganja cultivation. The meeting also discussed where ganja is cultivated and how the organisers are transporting the contraband.
The meeting decided to share information on ganja cultivation among the agencies in various States. A platform will be created to exchange data of ganja cases in other States. Artificial intelligence and other disruptive technologies will be used for sharing information. “A detailed comprehensive report was being prepared on illicit cultivation and transport of the contraband,” he said. The DGP reiterated that there was no connection with the State to the drug haul at Mundra port in Gujarat. A misinformation campaign is going on in this regard and this is not correct, he pointed out.
The DGP claimed that the quantity of ganja grown in Andhra Pradesh was less than one-third of the ganja grown in Odisha. Outsiders are organising ganja cultivation in the agency areas and there are many middlemen in the collection and transport of weed. He did not rule out the involvement of politicians and policemen in the clandestine trade.
He said Maoists have been encouraging the tribal farmers to grow ganja in the hilly terrains. Ganja has been one of the sources of income for Maoists. He, however, added Maoists’ influence on tribals was on the wane.