Vizag police achieve zero cannabis cultivation in ASR district
The Visakhapatnam Range Police have eradicated cannabis cultivation in Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district, reducing the area under illegal cultivation from 7,515.15 acres in 2021–22 to nil by January 2026, as part of the Andhra Pradesh government’s sustained anti-narcotics campaign.
Addressing a programme organised on Thursday to destroy seized narcotic substances, Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha said the government had adopted a multi-pronged strategy combining enforcement with alternative livelihood support for communities traditionally dependent on cannabis cultivation. Awareness programmes in educational institutions, coordination with inter-state and international agencies, and measures to freeze offenders’ assets had further reinforced the campaign, she said.
Visakhapatnam Range Inspector General of Police Gopinath Jatti, said the target, set in July 2024, had been achieved through sustained surveillance, drone-based monitoring, community participation, and promotion of alternative crops. Employment generation, counselling programmes, and outreach initiatives had helped prevent communities from returning to cultivation, he added.
Between July 2024 and June 2026, police registered 1,142 cases under the NDPS Act, arrested 3,377 persons, seized 65,560 kg of cannabis and 83.19 kg of hashish oil, and confiscated 832 vehicles allegedly used to transport narcotics. Assets worth ₹11.02 crore belonging to 18 accused were frozen as part of financial investigations.
The police also dismantled inter-state and international trafficking networks, including one with alleged links to the Sri Lankan drug mafia, leading to major seizures in Anakapalli and ASR districts.
To sustain the gains, the government distributed 1.59 crore saplings and 37,678 quintals of seeds covering 29,840 acres, while skill development programmes and awareness campaigns reached over 12.72 lakh people.
On Thursday, police destroyed 20,876 kg of cannabis and 23.68 kg of hashish oil seized in 490 cases after completing prescribed legal procedures.