Police embark on ganja-free drive

Hyderabad: After carrying out a major enforcement drive against the sale of ganja in Mangalhat and surrounding areas during which several persons were arrested, the law enforcement agencies are now working to ensure the local peddlers do not resume the illegal activities elsewhere. The retail trade of ganja in Dhoolpet is estimated to be running […]

Hyderabad: After carrying out a major enforcement drive against the sale of ganja in Mangalhat and surrounding areas during which several persons were arrested, the law enforcement agencies are now working to ensure the local peddlers do not resume the illegal activities elsewhere.

The retail trade of ganja in Dhoolpet is estimated to be running into lakhs of rupees daily with several dozen persons involved in the illegal trade. In the last few weeks, around 150 persons from Dhoolpet, Mangalhat, Seetharambagh, Mallepally, Kulsumpura, Jummerat Bazaar, Karwan and nearby areas were arrested for their involvement in the sale, transport and storing of ganja.

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“The trade has suffered a massive blow with the seizure of ganja and vehicles and having to engage advocates for obtaining bail, they will incur heavy expenditure. They know, it will be a challenging task to restart the clandestine business again,” said a police officer working in the West Zone of the city.

The next choice available for the peddlers will be to scout for new spots and restart their activities. “To prevent them from resuming their activities at a new location will be a new challenge for us. So, we are now focusing on gathering information from the ground level to know about the next move of the peddlers. The information will be shared with all the departments concerned and the officials of Cyberabad and Rachakonda police as well. Already teams are on the job,” said an official of Hyderabad Police.

The police across all the three commissionerates of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda along with the Prohibition and Excise Department and the Drug Control Administration, had already identified the hot spots where the marijuana is sold. “Apart from these areas, our focus will also be on new areas where we suspect the peddlers might try to start the street sale or exchange of the contraband,” he said.

In fact, the family members of a few ganja peddlers tried to resume their activities after the main person was caught. “There are instances of families trying to restart the illegal business but we are dealing it with an iron hand,” said an official.

He added that there is no smuggling from Andhra Pradesh or elsewhere for the time being, due to constant vigil and clampdown and the seizures now are the contraband that was previously smuggled and stored.

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