Crackdown on ganja peddlers leads to drastic increase in contraband prices in Hyderabad

A kilogram of ganja is now reportedly priced between Rs.50,000 and Rs.75,000 in the retail market

Hyderabad: With multiple law enforcement agencies cracking down on ganja traffickers and the supply chain badly hit, the prices of the contraband are drastically increasing.

A kilogram of ganja is now reportedly priced between Rs.50,000 and Rs.75,000 in the retail market. In the areas where it is cultivated, a kilogram of ganja is sold for Rs. 2500 a kilogram while a high quality ganja is now sold for Rs. 10,000 a kilogram.

---

The prices have nearly doubled following the crackdown on the cultivators. An official of Telangana State Anti Narcotics Bureau (TGSANB) said the cultivators have hiked the prices after knowing the price hike in the retail market. “Also, the fear of getting arrested is more after many of the cultivators were rounded up and sent to jail,” the official said.

Usually, ganja is sold in 10 gram packets by the peddlers in the city. Excise and Prohibition Superintendent, N Anji Reddy said the last line peddlers buy 200 grams to 300 grams from the second rung sellers and supply to the consumers in small packets of 10 grams each. “A packet depending upon the quality is sold at Rs. 500 to Rs. 1000 to customers,” he said.

The ganja trade has a chain of suppliers. The law enforcement agencies categorize the suppliers in the first level, second level and the local peddlers. The first level directly buys the contraband in bulk from the cultivators and supplies it to the second level sellers in the cities and towns who in turn sell it to local peddlers.

“Transporters are also charging a high amount as the risks have multiplied. So the suppliers too have hiked the price to make up the cost. Also, due to crackdown, the cultivation has stopped in Andhra Pradesh and traders are heading to neighbouring Odisha to purchase it,” said the official.

40 cases booked, 119 arrested as part of ‘Operation Dhoolpet’

The Prohibition and Excise department as part of ‘Operation Dhoolpet’ registered 40 cases and arrested 119 persons apart from seizing 240 kg of ganja.

The operation was launched on July 16 by the Prohibition and Excise Department to curb sale of ganja. A few families in the Dhoolpet have been involved in the sale of cannabis for the last many years and the law enforcement agencies including the P&E Department are regularly taking up operations to curb the sale.

“During survey it was found that about 70 to 80 per cent of the ganja peddlers arrested or the contraband seized in the city had its links to the Dhoolpet. So we launched an operation to stop the sales,” said N Anji Reddy, Excise Superintendent and Incharge of ‘Operation Dhoolpet’.

A 10 grams packet of cannabis was sold for Rs. 100 and later the price increased to 20 grams. Now peddlers are selling it for Rs. 500 and not all the consumers are able to get it in Dhoolpet.