Ganja smugglers seem to be keen on recouping their losses suffered in April after being forced to lay low in the wake of a heavy police blanket spread across the Agency area of Visakhapatnam district for the general elections.
There were two cases of ganja seizures of large quantities on two successive days last week.
On April 27, the Special Task Force (STF) of the Excise Department, Visakhapatnam, seized about 580 kg of ganja worth ₹30 lakh from two youths in Garikabanda under V. Madugula police station limits. The duo was attempting to transport the contraband to Delhi.
On April 28, excise teams seized 450 kg of ganja worth over ₹25 lakh from a person at Pedapeta village in Rolugunta mandal under Narsipatnam police station limits. This time, the consignment was being transported to Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.
Last week, Hyderabad Police and Delhi Police seized ganja which was reportedly smuggled from interior areas of the Agency.
Rates doubled
The disruption in trafficking of ganja for over a month has led to rates shooting up to almost double the usual in cities like Delhi and Bangalore. Smugglers are hoping to cash in on the situation by exporting the weed in large quantities.
“For almost a month, there was no major ganja trafficking, as about 25 checkposts were put up as part of election duty. Since the checkposts were lifted, ganja smuggling is on the rise again and we have been receiving cases,” acknowledged an excise official in Visakhapatnam district.
Ganja grown in interior parts of Visakhapatnam Agency, known as ‘Sheelavathi’, has a loyal base of customers across various parts of the country, especially in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and cities in Karnataka.
Sources said one kg of ganja which is sold for about ₹10,000 in Delhi, is being sold for over ₹20,000 at present due to high demand. Even in cities like Benguluru, one kg of ganja is sold for around ₹15,000.
Northeast factor
A number of smugglers from the Northeast States are travelling into Visakhapatnam Agency and Odisha to smuggle ganja.
“It appears that the kingpins are back in business in the region. It was learnt that a few ganja-producing farmers have received orders from smugglers in Meerut and Delhi in the last 10 days,” said a senior police officer from the Visakhapatnam District Police.