BHUBANESWAR: Launching a massive crackdown against cannabis cultivation and its trade, Boudh police has destroyed cultivation of the contraband spread over 2,548 acre land in just about a month.
Between October 27 and November 24, the district police destroyed ganja cultivation spread over 2,548.72 acre land. As part of its sustained operation, police destroyed over 23.44 lakh plants and registered 60 cases.
Boudh police intensified the enforcement with Union Home Minister Amit Shah making a fervent call to states to eradicate the ganja trade. Between March 1 and November 24, the police registered 144 cases related to sale of ganja and arrested 140 traders and peddlers. The cops also seized 25,129 kg contraband along with Rs 3.38 lakh cash, 101 vehicles, four guns and 12 rounds of live ammunition from the traders and peddlers.
Last year, the district police had registered a total of 129 cases related to ganja trade and arrested 125 offenders. It had seized over 17, 519 kg ganja, Rs 16 lakh cash and 83 vehicles from them.
With Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi focusing on making Odisha drug free and changing its image of a major cannabis producer, police have continued the good work this year and expanded enforcement measures against cultivation of the contraband. In the last two years, Boudh police registered 213 cases, destroyed cultivation over 10,470 acre of land and about 1 crore plants.
Boudh SP Rahul Goel said, “Efforts are being made to establish forward and backward linkages of the ganja trade in the district and go beyond state to nab the criminals.”
The individuals involved in the illegal activity are being identified and arrested while financial aspects of the crime are being investigated and assets of the accused frozen by approaching courts and special tribunals, he added.
As a result of the crackdown, Boudh police has received over 36 applications from the villagers who wanted to switch from cannabis cultivation to goat and poultry farming and approvals are underway for the same.