DRI Mumbai, Along With Regional Units, Destroys 9.49 Acres Of Illegally Cultivated Cannabis In Dhule

DRI Mumbai, with its Pune and Nagpur regional units, undertook a major breakthrough operation targeting the illegal cultivation of Cannabis in the Dhule district. Based on specific intelligence that illegal cultivation of Cannabis was being carried out in Khamkheda Ambe and Rohini Villages of Dhule District of Maharashtra, officers of DRI conducted surveillance of the remote area lying on the MP- Maharashtra border, in order to narrow down on the suspicious sites. Officers then approached the concerned district administration and judicial magistrate.

About The Operation

In the presence of a Judicial Magistrate, 7 sites of a total area of 9.493 acres were found to have illegal cultivation of Cannabis. Drip irrigation was being used on the sites to increase the yield, indicating a very organised illicit cultivation. Further, gunny bags filled with dried Ganja were also found lying on the fields. 

Measurement of the sites along with geo-tagged photographs was carried out in the presence of a Judicial Magistrate. Subsequently, land records for all 7 sites were traced with the help of the district administration, and they were found to be encroached and illegally used for the cultivation of Cannabis. Accordingly, attachment and destruction of the illegally cultivated area of Cannabis was undertaken under Section 48 of the NDPS Act. 

A total of 96049 illegally cultivated cannabis plants in 9.493 acres of area were uprooted and destroyed. Further, 420.39 kg of Ganja, recovered from gunny bags lying on the fields, was also seized under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 makes it illegal for a person to cultivate, possess, sell, buy, and consume narcotic and psychotropic substances, and doing so can lead to severe fines and imprisonment of up to 20 years. 

DRI has been actively cracking down on drug syndicates and operations like this show DRI’s unwavering commitment towards the goal of achieving “Nasha Mukt Bharat”.