DRI seizes over 3,800 kgs ganja in northeast

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized over 3,800 kgs of ganja in two separate cases in northeast India, according to an official statement issued today.

The agency joined hands with the Tripura Police, BSF, and Assam Police to effect the seizure over the last three days, it said.

A search operation was conducted on Wednesday and Thursday in the premises of two persons in Sepahijala district of Tripura, and 3,390 kgs of ganja (dry cannabis) packed in 85 plastic drums of different sizes recovered, the DRI said.

According to the DRI, the narcotic was hidden underground in the premises owned by the duo, following which they were arrested.

 

In another operation conducted by the DRI yesterday, 488 kgs of ganja was seized from an abandoned house at Angla Bazar, Badarpur in Karimganj district of Assam.

The operation was carried out by the DRI jointly with the Assam Police, BSF and CRPF, the statement said.

"Thus, a total of 3,878 kgs of ganja has been seized in two separate operations in the northeast in the last three days," it said.

This is the seventh successive instance of seizure of ganja sourced from Tripura to have been detected by the DRI recently in the northeast.

A total of 8,900 kgs of ganja originating from Tripura was seized in the past few months.

Organised cultivation and harvesting of ganja for commercial purpose in Tripura is seen to be a new trend and the DRI is closely monitoring the development in the eastern sector in partnership with the Tripura Police, BSF and other agencies, it said.

"It has been observed that large scale cultivation of ganja is taking place in the hilly tracts and jungles of Tripura under the thick foliage of rubber plantations. Often business persons obtain lease of land and government sanction for cultivation of rubber plants and misuse bank loans by concentrating more on cultivation of ganja than what the government sanction and bank loans were intended for," the agency said.