This is the single largest destruction in the district so far

The sky turned grey with the thick fumes of burning ganja enveloping the Kapuluppada dumping yard as the Visakhapatnam Rural Police set fire to a huge stock of around 63,878 kg of the contraband on Friday.

The ganja stock, said to be worth around ₹15 crore, was seized in 455 smuggling cases in the last 10 years in all the 13 police stations in the district. The ganja, packed in hundreds of gunny bags, was transported in several trucks and vans from various police stations across the district.

Police officials then weighed each of the bags before lighting them up.

Court orders

The ganja was destroyed in accordance with court orders in the presence of the Drug Disposal Committee, which included Deputy Inspector General (Visakha Range) L.K.V. Ranga Rao, Superintendent of Police (Visakhapatnam Rural) Attada Babujee, and Deputy Commissioner (Prohibition & Excise) T. Srinivasa Rao.

“This is the single-largest destruction of ganja in the district so far,” Mr. Ranga Rao told reporters.

“Last year, we destroyed 43,341 kg of ganja. Many ganja smugglers have been encouraging farmers in interior areas to take up ganja cultivation. The government is creating awareness among the farmers to switch over to profitable alternative crops,” Mr. Ranga Rao said.

Mr. Babujee said that among the 455 cases, 91 cases were reported from G. Madugula Police Station (PS) limits, 89 cases from Paderu limits, 69 from Rolugunta, 39 from Kothakota and 22 each from Hukumpeta and Munchingputtu police stations.

Fourth time in 2 years

This is for the fourth time since February 2018 that officials have disposed of ganja in such a huge quantity.

On February 27 last year, 11,493 kg of ganja was destroyed at the Marikavalasa dumping yard. On March 13, 2018, around 7,637 kg of ganja was destroyed at Kalyanapulova. On August 3, 2018, around 43,341 kgs of ganja was destroyed.

Police also auctioned off 196 vehicles which were seized in 186 ganja smuggling cases last year.