The police have stepped up vigil on the smuggling and peddling of ganja in parts of Vijayawada and the neighbouring villages in NTR district Police Commissionerate after several reports of the illicit trade came to light.
With the police conducting surprise checks on the National Highways, the smugglers have started smuggle the contraband in small packets.
Unlike in the past when police used to seize ganja in huge quantities packed in bags while being shifted to different places in Andhra Pradesh and its neighbouring States, the peddlers now are using small packets concealed in luggage bags to evade police checking, the police said.
The NTR district police and the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) have identified about 300 peddlers and even more addicts. They are being counselled and helped to wean away from the habit.
Organised gangs
“Many organised gangs are smuggling ganja from the Agency areas in Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) region to Vijayawada, Guntur and their neighbouring districts. Youth and students are their main targets,” said an investigation officer.
“The peddlers purchase 1 kg of ganja somewhere between ₹2,000 and ₹4,000 and sell it for ₹10,000 and above. The price depends on the demand,” he said.
A person who consumes ganja frequently said on the condition of anonymity that women, rickshaw pullers, and auto-rickshaw drivers were among the peddlers who sold the contraband in small packets at ₹500 and above.
Special drive launched
NTR district Police Commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata told The Hindu that a special drive had been launched to check the smuggling and sale of ganja.
“Instructions have been issued to the police personnel to keep a tab on the movements of smugglers, peddlers and addicts. The police have registered about 80 cases in the first two months of this year and arrested 250 persons on charges of smuggling and selling ganja. The accused have been booked under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985,” he said.
The peddlers usually target daily wage labourers, masons and migrant workers.
“We are trying to break the link between ganja smugglers, peddlers and consumers. Focus is on identifying the points of sale and book the accused,” added the Police Commissioner.
