Ganja worth Rs 4,000 crore in 19 months in Andhra Pradesh

According to police statistics, after the SEB was formed in 2020, 80,967 cases of smuggling or brewing of illegal liquor were registered, up from the 37,046 cases in 2019.
Image used for representational purpose only.
Image used for representational purpose only.

VIJAYAWADA: The State is witnessing a manifold increase in the registration of cases pertaining to liquor smuggling ever since the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) was established on May, 9 2020. 

“The SEB’s efforts have brought down incidents of smuggling of non-duty paid liquor (NDPL), manufacturing of ID liquor and ganja transportation. We are taking all measures to control illegal transportation of liquor, sand and ganja by strict enforcement, special drives, border checkings,” SEB commissioner Vineet Brijlal said.

According to police statistics, after the SEB was formed in 2020, 80,967 cases of smuggling or brewing of illegal liquor were registered, up from the 37,046 cases in 2019. The agency, set up for curbing illegal activities relating to liquor and sand, registered 97,792 cases in 2021. 

The State police and SEB registered a total of 2,15,805 cases of illegal liquor smuggling between 2019 and December 5, 2021. 

According to officials, 14,52,151 litres of Indian-made liquor (IML), 13,07,457 litres of illicitly distilled (ID) liquor were seized, besides destroying 3,74,80,747 litres of fermented jaggery wash. 

Additionally, ganja crop cultivation in 6,416 acres, with an approximate street value of Rs 4,000 crore, in the Agency areas of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari was destroyed under ‘Operation Parivartana’ in November. 

The SEB has also been working towards controlling the smuggling of ganja from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to other States. After the enforcement bureau was established, a total of  2,99,969 kgs of ganja was seized in 2,572 cases. The SEB along with local police, destroyed ganja plantation in Agency mandals of Vizag and East Godavari districts under ‘Operation Parivarthana’ from November 1.

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