In a joint operation, special teams comprising excise, police and revenue conducted raids at ganja cultivation fields under G. Madugula and Hukumpeta mandals in Visakhapatnam Agency area on Friday. Standing crop of ganja was destroyed in about 34 acres in two mandals.
“The raids will be conducted for the next three days and we have selected about 10 villages in these mandals, where the cultivation is rampant,” said Assistant Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise (Enforcement) SVVN Babji Rao.
Four teams have been constituted and each team has about 50 members. The revenue and excise teams are given protection by the men drawn from armed reserve police.
The raids are part of the strategy designed by the government to curb the cultivation of ganja that is rampant in the Agency areas of Visakhapatnam district.
The team members are also distributing brochures at public places and weekly shandies to create awareness among tribals and youth.
They are also creating an awareness campaign through public address system and are highlighting consequences of cultivating and smuggling of ganja, said Mr. Babji Rao.
