About 2,348 kg of ganja and 55 litres of hashish oil, seized by officials of the Prohibition & Excise Department in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju districts over the past 18 months, were destroyed during a programme held at the Waste-to-Energy Plant at the Kapuluppada dumping yard here on Friday.

Deputy Commissioner of the Prohibition & Excise Department Sri Ramachandra Murthy said that most of the ganja had been seized in the Paderu sub-division of Alluri Sitharama Raju district. He said the ganja and hashish oil would be destroyed in a phased manner in the incinerator at the Waste-to-Energy Plant. He added that the total value of the narcotics being destroyed was estimated at about ₹1.72 crore.

Mr. Murthy also said that there were currently no traces of ganja cultivation in Alluri Sitharama Raju district. He clarified that the ASR, Anakapalli and Visakhapatnam districts were now being used only as transit points for transportation of the contraband.