VISAKHAPATNAM: In a major haul, the Vizag seized 790 kgs of ganja worth around Rs 80 lakh from a Chennai-bound truck. Two persons — driver Chandrasekhar Bhaskar (34) of Tiruvalluru and helper Jhonson Sankar (21) — were arrested.
On reliable information, the Duvvada police led by CI Lakshmi conducted searches and seized ganja from a truck. The contraband was concealed under the bags of potatoes. Police said the accused had procured the ganja from interior areas of Paderu. The accused brought the ganja to Dockyard Colony near Sheela Nagar, where they loaded it in another vehicle. They were planning to shift the ganja to Chennai, the police said on Friday.
Awareness programmes
Meanwhile, the district police stepped up ‘Parivartana’ programme launched on October 28 to weed out ganja from the district. The police conducted awareness programmes in Paderu and Chintapalli sub divisions against ganja.
About 200 students of the school at Talarising in Paderu subdivision made a formation to highlight the slogan ‘No to ganja’. Addressing the students, ASP Jagadeesh said tribals were not getting benefit from ganja though it was being cultivated for several decades. He advised the tribal farmers to raise alternative crops which will be more economical. ITDA and police are jointly providing employment opportunities to tribal youth.
He told the youth to stay away from drugs and called upon the students to generate awareness among their parents and neighbours about the loss caused by ganja cultivation.Similarly, another formation was done by 350 students at junior college and degree college at Chintapalli. Chintapalli sub-division ASP Tushar addresses the students.