The 12 mandals in the Visakhapatnam Agency are known for their thick forest, salubrious and cool climate, and rich mineral deposits.
They are also the preferred hideout for the banned CPI (Maoist) members.
Apart from these credentials, they are, of late, gaining notoriety as the capital for ganja cultivation in the country.
Nine out of the 12 mandals have gained the dubious distinction of growing the premium variety called ‘Sheelavathi’.
“Maximum quantity of ganja is being grown here in the country,” says Deputy Commissioner of Prohibition and Exercise M. Satyanarayana.
The police and the Excise personnel have stepped up vigil, but what is being seized is just a minuscule.
The Prohibition and Excise Department has seized 13 tonnes of dry ganja this year, compared to 5.6 tonnes the previous year. The police have seized about 20 tonnes as against 12 tones the previous year.
According to Narsipatnam Excise Inspector Jagan Mohan Rao, this year alone, the Narsipatnam zone, which is one of the gateways from the Agency area, booked a total of 1,194 cases, arrested 943 persons, and seized 9 tonnes of dry ganja.
A senior official in the Excise Department, however, says that the seizure is just a tip of the iceberg!
As per the Excise Department, ganja is primarily grown in mandals such as Chintapalli, Paderu, Araku, G. Madugula, GK Veedhi.
The yield this year is estimated at 15 lakh bags of 3 kg. each, which takes the total figure to a staggering 4,500 tonnes.
Quantifying the business, Excise Superintendent of Anakapalle D.S.R.C. Murthy says that the rate per kg could vary between Rs.5,000 and Rs.18,000, depending on the market and refinement of the product.
A 5 kg. bag of refined ‘Sheelavathi’ variety costs Rs.90,000 in the Mumbai or Delhi markets.
From the Agency area, the contraband is finding its way to other parts of the country through Hyderabad and Tamil Nadu.
“It looks to be an organised mafia network and we are yet to get into the depth of it,” says Mr. Murthy.
