Visakhapatnam witnessed an ongoing battle against the cultivation and transportation of ganja (marijuana) in tribal areas. However, despite the authorities’ crackdown, smugglers continue to find innovative ways to transport the contraband from the Koraput and Malkangiri districts of Odisha to various parts of the country via Vizag.
The City Task Force (CTF) recently made a significant seizure, intercepting a van carrying 1,000 kg of ganja concealed under paddy bags. This seizure ranks as the second-largest catch by city police in the last three years. In 2021, they had seized three tonnes of ganja near Parawada on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam.
The van, loaded with 1000 kg of ganja stored in 19 large plastic bags, was intercepted by the Task Force Police near Sontyam Road on the Pendurithi-Anandapuram highway. City Police Commissioner CM Trivikram Varma stated, “The contraband is not procured from Visakha agency because there is no ganja cultivation in the tribal belt now. Smugglers might have procured it from the AP-Odisha border areas.”
The Vizag route serves as a major transit point for transporting ganja to cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, and Kerala. To combat the issue, a massive operation called “Operation Parivarthana” was conducted, resulting in the destruction of ganja plantations worth approximately 9,521 crore rupees spread across 7,000 acres in 11 mandals of the Visakha agency.
Law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to dismantle the ganja smuggling network and curb its illegal trade. Efforts are being made to identify and apprehend the key players involved in the supply chain. Additionally, authorities are implementing stricter surveillance measures and intelligence-driven operations to stay one step ahead of the smugglers.
The battle against ganja cultivation and transportation remains an ongoing challenge, but law enforcement agencies are determined to eradicate this menace and safeguard the region from the harmful consequences associated with drug trafficking.