Visakhapatnam District records an alarming spike in the number of drug cases

The Visakhapatnam District has seen an alarming increase in the number of drug cases, in the recent past. Despite the stringent efforts put by the Visakhapatnam District Police, ganja smugglers and drug peddlers are finding a way to traffick these illegal substances in and out of the city. The police have also taken the initiative of setting up the Marpu Counselling Centre with the goal to reform drug and ganja addicts in the city. The majority of drug cases in Visakhapatnam involve illegal substance smugglers from the agency areas.

On 7 February, 2022, the Visakhapatnam District Police have arrested four persons involved in the consumption of drugs. The accused were caught at a resort near Kondakarla Ava, a tourist spot in Visakhapatnam Rural. Tangeti Bharat, who had recently visited Goa, procured MDMA and invited his friends to the resort. The police had seized five grams of MDMA, which is worth R. 15,000. The Visakhapatnam Police have appealed to the resorts at tourist places, to keep an eye on the visitors for use of any illegal substances.

Recently, the Visakhapatnam Rural Police have seized a lorry transporting 1,100kgs ganja. On 5 February, 2022, the police have received information regarding ganja smuggling from the agency areas and suspected a transport lorry, near Neelimetta. Upon noticing the police, the lorry driver had abandoned the vehicle and fled from the scene. The police then inspected the lorry and uncovered bags of ganja hidden under a load of ginger.

On the same day, the police arrested five ganja smugglers were arrested near NAD Junction and seized 24kgs of ganja. The smugglers, who were transporting ganja on two-wheeler bikes, were caught and sent to the custody of the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB). Three of the accused were identified as residents of Devarapalli, while the remaining were from Maharashtra.