The Visakhapatnam Range police on Thursday (June 18, 2026) destroyed 20,876 kg of ganja, worth over ₹20 crore, along with 23.68 kg of hashish oil. The narcotics will be burnt in phases in an incinerator at the Coastal Waste Management Plant in JN Pharma City at Parawada in Anakapalli district.

Home Minister V Anitha, Pendurthi MLA Panchakarla Ramesh Babu accompanied by IG Visakha Range Gopinath Jatti initiated the destruction process. SP’s under the Visakha Range also attended the programme.

Addressing during the programme, Home Minister V Anitha said that establishing a drug-free society remains one of the government’s highest priorities. She stated that while the government is cracking down on ganja trafficking networks, it is simultaneously promoting alternative crops in tribal areas to improve farmer’s livelihoods. She said that large-scale awareness programmes are being conducted in educational institutions to protect youth from falling prey to drug abuse. She added that the government is coordinating with interstate and international agencies to dismantle narcotics networks and freeze the assets of offenders.

IGP Gopinath Jatti, said that the ‘Zero Cultivation’ target set in July 2024 was achieved by January 2026. He noted that ganja cultivation in Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district, which stood at 7,515.15 acres during 2021-22, has been completely eliminated through continuous surveillance, drone monitoring, and promotion of alternative crops. The success was not solely due to law enforcement measures but also the result of employment generation, counselling programmes, and extensive community outreach in tribal areas, he said.

He said that since July 2024, the Visakhapatnam Range Police registered 1,142 NDPS cases and arrested 3,377 accused persons. About 65,560 kg of ganja, 83.19 kg of hashish oil was recovered, while 832 vehicles used for transportation of narcotics were seized.

The IGP also said that in a bid to weaken the financial networks of drug traffickers, properties worth Rs 11.02 crore belonging to 18 accused persons in 19 cases were frozen. The police also initiated proposals against 132 habitual offenders under the PIT-NDPS Act, resulting in the detention of 51 persons. Additionally, 1,942 history sheets were opened against repeat offenders.

He said that during 2025-26, the authorities distributed 1.59 crore saplings and 37,678 quintals of seeds, encouraging alternative crop cultivation over 29,840 acres in tribal areas. To keep tribal youth from being drawn into ganja transport, skill development programmes had provided employment to 415 people.

On the de-addiction initiatives, the IGP said 258 people suffering from substance abuse had been referred to de-addiction centres for treatment and rehabilitation.

ASR SP Amit Bardar, Anakapalli SP Tuhin Sinha, Vizianagaram SP A.R. Damodar, Parvathipuram Manyam SP S.V. Madhav Reddy, Srikakulam SP K.V. Maheshwar Reddy and others were present.