Telangana: Whip on ganja peddlers yielding results
Hyderabad: Strong intelligence network followed by constant vigil maintained at the inter-State borders is yielding results as Telangana police succeeded in cracking the whip on many marijuana peddlers across the State. The police launched a crackdown against peddlers mostly who are smuggling marijuana from Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) via Khammam, Warangal and Nalgonda districts to […]
Hyderabad: Strong intelligence network followed by constant vigil maintained at the inter-State borders is yielding results as Telangana police succeeded in cracking the whip on many marijuana peddlers across the State.
The police launched a crackdown against peddlers mostly who are smuggling marijuana from Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) via Khammam, Warangal and Nalgonda districts to Hyderabad in coordination with the Prohibition and Excise department since September.
The police and excise departments earlier used to take action against peddlers when they get information about smuggling of marijuana and other narcotics. But the two key departments now developed strong intelligence network and stepped up surveillance after the Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao conducted a review meeting with officials of the police and excise departments’ last month to eradicate the menace of drugs in the State and instructed them to declare a war against cultivation and consumption of marijuana.
Accordingly, the two departments prepared an action plan to deal with marijuana mafia with an iron fist. Since then police and excise officials arrested many gangs, which are smuggling the contraband from AOB.
Officials said one of the key initiatives, which are yielding results, was surveillance at the borders between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in Khammam and Suryapet districts. After officials tightened screws against peddlers, who are getting marijuana by road, the gangs started roping in persons known to them to smuggle the substance by train.
On seeing that the police checking at the general compartments was more, most smugglers are found to be travelling in first-class air-conditioned compartments. Based on inputs, the police in coordination with Government Railway Police (GRP) arrested more than dozen persons in the last few days.
These arrested persons were smuggling marijuana in Konark Express to Maharashtra via Hyderabad. Explaining the modus operandi of smugglers, Warangal Police Commissioner Tarun Joshi said the peddlers had been adopting new modes of smuggling the banned substance.
They are even using a pilot vehicle which goes ahead of the main vehicle and alerts peddlers if they notice any police movement on the highway. People travelling in pilot cars generally appear as if they are normal people from a family with children. But it is the new method of hoodwinking the police, he said.
Nalgonda police seize 35,000 kg marijuana
In a special drive against narcotics, the Nalgonda police seized 35,000 kilograms of marijuana and arrested 110 smugglers since September 1.
Six special teams formed by the Superintendent of Police, A V Ranganath, conducted raids in Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) to crack the links of illegal drugs business. As a part of the drive, the police intensified vehicle checking on National Highway 65, which is the main route for smuggling from AOB to Hyderabad, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
The district police seized about 1,500 kgs of marijuana in their special operation in AOB alone. The special police teams also conducted raids in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Dhoolpet in Hyderabad based on inputs from credible sources and arrested several smugglers, who have links with the arrested persons in the district.
In Suryapet district, the police started checking luggage of passengers travelling in buses at Ramapuram crossroads, which is the border between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The police seized 310 kilograms after arresting 20 smugglers while conducting checking at different places since September 1.
Drones aid to track down cultivators
Drones came to the rescue of officials in the district to trace marijuana cultivation amid cotton, sugarcane and other dry crops.
With the help of drone technology, the police could identify marijuana plantation in Haddanur, Chiragpally, Jharasangam, Raikode, Kangti and Kalher police station limits.
The district police seized 168 kg of dry marijuana and destroyed 584 marijuana plants this year until October 4. Officials said the district became a transit point to marijuana smuggling from AOB to Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Since the district is close to these two States, the peddlers are using Outer Ring Road (ORR) to enter the district. In Siddipet, officials seized two kg marijuana and destroyed 42 plants this year.
As many as 14 peddlers were arrested in the last two months for allegedly selling the banned substance.
Karimnagar cops adopt two-pronged strategy
The district police are adopting a two-pronged strategy to control the menace of marijuana.
Apart from taking stringent action against peddlers, the police increased surveillance at Yellareddypet, Veernapalli, Konaraopet and Rudrangi mandals where marijuana is cultivated as intercrop.
In February this year, the police destroyed 261 marijuana plants in Rangampet of Veernapalli mandal. According to police, as many as 1,616 kgs marijuana were seized after registering 181 cases in the erstwhile Karimnagar district during the last three years.
In 2020, 32.9kg marijuana was seized from 22 persons. As on September 31 this year, over 34.48 kg of marijuana was seized from 14 persons and six cases were registered.
13,881 kg ganja seized in erstwhile Khammam
With the State government deciding to take on the menace of ganja and other narcotic drugs seriously, police in erstwhile Khammam district have been cracking down on smugglers hard. Till date, police seized dry ganja weighing around 13,881 kg worth Rs 26.38 crore in both Khammam and Kothagudem districts.
The volume and worth of ganja seized was high in Kothagudem through which the national highways that connect tribal areas in Odisha and AP, where ganja cultivation was rampant, passes.
In Kothagudem, nearly 40 ganja smuggling cases were registered while more than 80 of around 137 accused involved in the smuggling were arrested. In the district, police seized over 10,231 kgs ganja worth Rs 20.46 crore, along with 29 vehicles.
In Khammam district, police seized around 3,600 kg ganja worth Rs 5.92 crore so far. As many as 115 smugglers were arrested in 36 ganja cases under different police stations. To the surprise of many, two police personnel and an advocate were also arrested in a ganja smuggling case in the district.
Armed Reserve police constables Konda Sathish, A Venkateshwarlu and advocate Venkateshwarlu were arrested by Khammam police in the last 10 days in connection with the case. No incidents of narcotic drugs cases were reported in the erstwhile Khammam district.
Warangal police step up war
The Warangal police are adopting a holistic approach in coordination with the Andhra Pradesh police and the Government Railway Police (GRP) to eradicate drugs menace.
Since marijuana was mainly being grown in Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB), the Warangal police are taking the assistance of AP police to prevent the smuggling of the banned substance. After stepping up vigil, the police achieved a major breakthrough by busting a drug racket with foreign links recently.
The Task Force sleuths raided a lodge under Subedari police station limits in the first week of November and apprehended six youngsters for their alleged involvement in drug peddling and consumption.
The police have so far arrested nearly 114 people in connection with supply of marijuana and other drugs under Warangal police commissionerate limits, consisting of Hanamkonda, Warangal and Jangaon districts, since January 1 this year. They seized Rs 89.20 lakh worth narcotics by registering 32 cases under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Meanwhile, the police arrested 55 people in 31 cases in 2020 and seized narcotics worth Rs 37.18 lakh. In 2019, the police registered 27 cases against 82 people and seized Rs 1.02 crore worth of banned substance under the Warangal police commissionerate limits.
Warangal Police Commissioner Dr Tarun Joshi said, “We are trying to break the network of peddlers using our own intelligence sources and informer network. With the crackdown executed by the Telangana police, our top officials are in regular touch with their counterparts in AP and trying to put an end to the menace.”
On other hand, the police are also seeing consumers as victims rather than criminals. “Our target is only peddlers,” he added.
Joshi said that they were invoking Preventive Detention (PD) Act against peddlers. Six accused confessed that they were habituated to consuming drugs from the last three years, and two of them turned into peddlers and had been to Goa to purchase drugs like cocaine after coming in contact with two Nigerians.
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