Over the past few decades, the city of Visakhapatnam has earned many names like ‘City of Fortune’, ‘Port City’ and ‘Steel City’. It is known for its healthy climate and serene beaches, peaceful social fabric, central public sector units, educational institutions and cosmopolitan culture. But recently, the city and district have gained the reputation of being called the ‘Ganja Hub’ of the country. Cultivation and smuggling of weed has also left behind the reputation of Chamba Valley of Himachal Pradesh.
In the district, about nine of the 11 mandals that fall under the densely forested area of the Eastern Ghats, known as the Agency area, are into hemp cultivation. Traditional crops such as turmeric, ginger, kidney beans and bajra have given way to this weed, the seeds of which were sown by smugglers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu nearly four decades ago.
Today, according to a conservative estimate of the excise department, it is grown in a range of 7,000 to 10,000 acres, spread over 150 to 200 villages in nine mandals.
According to Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) Deputy Commissioner SVVN Babji Rao, GK Vedhi, Munchingput, Pedabayalu, Chintapalli and G. The crop is being grown on a large scale in Madugula mandals, where the banned CPI (Maoist) dominates.
It is estimated that one acre produces about 1 tonne of hemp per year, which can mean an average total yield of 7,000-10,000 tonnes per year, and can be valued at hundreds of crores of rupees.
not new
“Trade or cultivation of ganja in Visakha Agency is not a new thing. The first case of ganja smuggling was registered almost 45 years ago in 1973, even before the NDPS Act of 1985 came into force, said DIG (Visakhapatnam range) LKV Ranga Rao.
This has come into focus of late, as enforcement agencies have started taking it seriously as other states have cited the confessions of the smugglers caught in the raids that they had purchased goods from Visakhapatnam.
The weed grown here is known as ‘Shilawat’ and has a fast growing market all over India.
Though it is procured from farmers by middlemen at around ₹2,000 per kg, but according to a senior police officer, its market price ranges from ₹7,000 to ₹15,000.
The pan-India presence is established by the fact that more than 50% of the nearly 5,000 accused arrested in the last two years are from other states, said Visakhapatnam’s superintendent of police, B Krishna Rao.
well oiled machinery
The smuggling network was developed over the years by middlemen from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, who made initial efforts and is now a well-oiled machinery, consisting of local people.
The fact that no enforcement agency like Police, SEB, Excise or DRI has been able to nab and nab the gangsters suggests that they work strictly on a ‘need to know’ basis similar to mafia style.
They have prepared at least 30 routes that lead beyond the AOB (Andhra-Odisha border) area, where weeds are grown unhindered under the tutelage of Maoists.
East Godavari has a booming industry that specializes in creating hidden chambers in vehicles where ganja can be hidden. After strict monitoring, there has been a shift towards preparing hashish oil or hash, as small amounts can be easily smuggled.
Maoist link
Although the Maoists deny any connection to the ganja trade, the fact that it is grown in their stronghold undermines their claim.
DGP Gautam Sawang said, “They are mixing extremism and narcotics with dexterity and it has been established that they (Maoists) have cut down on trade.”
Although trade has flourished over the past few decades, the tribal people in the interior, where crops are grown, live in poverty as bonded laborers on their land. The land is leased to middlemen and they get only rent.
A senior police officer involved in the anti-Maoist operation said it could be a ploy by the Maoists as they do not want the tribals to prosper as it will affect their support base.
“It is the middlemen and some tribal groups who are educated, intelligent and living in road-facing villages that have made the best of the trade,” he said.
Change:
To curb the trade, the state government has started a program called ‘Parivartan’ which not only involves destroying the crop, but also creating awareness about the ill effects of indulging in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Act, 1985 (NDPS). Act) and to educate growers on alternative crops.
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