AP, Odisha Police Join Forces to Combat Ganja Trade

Andhra Pradesh and Odisha police convened their first interstate coordination meeting via video conference on Tuesday, aiming to strengthen cooperation against ganja cultivation, illegal transport, and cross-border crimes.

The meeting, chaired by Gopinath Jatti, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Visakhapatnam Range, highlighted a significant decline in ganja cultivation in the Araku–Srikakulam–Rajahmundry (ASR) District. “Cultivation has fallen sharply from 7,515 acres in 2021–22 to just 93 acres in 2024–25,” Mr. Jatti said.

To provide alternatives to illegal farming, authorities have distributed 4.68 million plants and 32,760 quintals of Rajma seeds to over 35,000 farmers across 10,000 villages.

Recent enforcement data shows steady action against offenders. In 2024, police registered 652 cases, seized 35,062 kg of ganja, arrested 1,941 persons, and confiscated 483 vehicles. In 2025 so far, 377 cases have been registered, 22,207 kg seized, 1,038 arrests made, and 244 vehicles confiscated. Financial investigations and enforcement under the NDPS Act have targeted assets and networks linked to offenders.

The “Sankalpam” awareness campaign has conducted nearly 16,000 events across 11,896 villages and towns, reaching over 9 lakh people and engaging more than 3 lakh students across 3,912 educational institutions.

Officials from both states committed to closer coordination at border check posts, intensified efforts to track absconding accused, and bimonthly meetings to sustain focus on cross-border security challenges. “Strengthening financial investigations is key to disrupting criminal networks and tracing assets of offenders,” Mr. Jatti added.

The meeting marked a renewed focus on collaborative enforcement, aiming to curb ganja cultivation and trafficking while supporting farmers with sustainable alternatives.