The Palamaner police in Chittoor district on July 18 (Tuesday) arrested twelve people on charge of smuggling ganja and seized 11 kgs of contraband from their possession.
A crackdown on the smuggling network over the last week has led to the seizure of 50 kg ganja and the arrest of 35 persons, most of them hailing from the Visakhapatnam Agency, who were found selling the contraband to the locals in sachets.
Deputy Superintendent of Police N. Sudhakar Reddy told the media that the police were committed to making the border sub-division a ‘ganja-free zone’.
Meanwhile, Tirupati Superintendent of Police P. Parameswara Reddy brushed aside the reports that appeared in a section of the media over the pressure exerted on the department in dealing with ganja related cases.
The regular offenders arrested under the NDPS cases would be booked under Preventive Detention Act, he said, referring to a proposal under consideration to this effect.
Drug Abuse Control Committees have been formed in 96 colleges in the Tirupati district, Mr. Reddy said and appealed to the college managements and the parents to keep a watch on their wards and provide the necessary counselling.
