Ganja worth Rs. 7cr destroyed

Visakhapatnam: The police and excise department destroyed 14,000 kg of ganja worth Rs 7 crore at Kapuluppada dumping yard on Sunday. The ganja was seized from Narsipatnam, Chintapalli, Payakaraopeta, Anakapalle, under Pendurty police station  and Visakhapatnam IV excise station limits.

Earlier, the seized ganja was stored till the cases have been cleared in the courts and the police and excise officials used to face problems to store ganja. However, the Supreme Court given permission to destroy the ganja eventhough the cases have been pending in the courts. After the Supreme Court fiat, for the first time, the police and excise officials destroyed the ganja on Sunday.

While setting fire to the ganja, Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao said that Visakhapatnam’s name was    tarnished due to ganja cultivation and smuggling. Taking a serious note on the ganja smuggling and cultivation, the government directed the police and excise to take up special drives to eradicate ganja cultivation in the district. Recently, the crop in 3,500 acres was destroyed, he added.

Commissioner of Excise and Prohibition P Lakshminarasimham, Superintendent of Police Visakhapatnam Rural Rahul Dev Sharma and several excise officials were present.