SEB destroyed 3.2 cr ganja plants worth Rs. 4,000 cr in AP districts since Nov

Visakhapatnam: The Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) and the police destroyed ganja crop spread over 6,416.10 acres in Andhra Pradesh between 30 October and 7 December under Operation Parivartan. According to SEB, the estimated value of the ganja plants destroyed is Rs. 4,000 crore. Around 3.2 crore ganja plants were destroyed.

Operation Parivartan aims to create awareness about the consequences of the illegal ganja trade and about the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 besides educating growers about alternative crops.

The Andhra Pradesh government created the Special Enforcement Bureau on 9 May 2020 as an exclusive enforcement agency to curb illegal activities relating to liquor and sand. SEB has been successfully controlling cross-border smuggling of liquor and eradicating illicit distillation of arrack and stopping indiscriminate sand mining.

Since its formation, it has seized 2,99, 969 kg ganja in 2,572 cases. SEB along with the police has destroyed ganja plants in the mandals of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts under Operation Parivarthan.

"We are taking all measures to control illegal transportation of liquor, sand, and ganja through strict enforcement, special drives, and border checkings," said SEB commissioner Vineet Brijlal.

Liquor smuggling cases

According to SEB, interstate smuggling and bootlegging of liquor cases stood at 37,046 in which 1,33,573 litres of Indian made liquor (IML) and 1,76,114 litres of illicitly distilled(ID) liquor were seized while 45,74,488 litres of FJ wash(a component used in ID liquor) was destroyed.

In 2020, the total cases detected were 80,967in which 4,58,994 litres of IML and 5,02,457 litres of ID liquor were seized and 1,19,84,657 litres of FJ wash destroyed.

In 2021, the total cases detected stood at 97,792 in which 8,59,584 litres of IML and 6,28,886 litres of ID liquor were seized and 2,09,21,602 litres of FJ wash destroyed.

From 16 May 2020 to 7 December 2021, the SEB booked 1,63,518 cases and seized 12,88,741 liters of liquor.