Andhra Police Tighten Noose on Ganja Smuggling with Statewide Crackdown

Police enforcement against ganja smuggling has intensified across Andhra Pradesh, with the latest action unfolding in Nellore . As part of the city’s anti-narcotics drive, Deeksha , Assistant Superintendent of Police, conducted a surprise inspection at the Balaji Nagar Police Station on Sunday. She examined station records in detail and reviewed staff performance, directing officers to maintain strict vigilance and avoid any negligence in preserving law and order. Special surveillance is also being maintained on rowdy sheeters: of the city’s top ten, five are currently lodged in Kadapa Central Jail , while the remaining five have been ordered to report to their respective police stations every Sunday at 11 a.m. as a mandatory condition.

This district-level action mirrors a broader national anti-drug push. The Narcotics Control Bureau reported that law-enforcement agencies seized nearly 1.33 lakh kilograms of drugs in 2025 across India, with cannabis forming a significant portion. Andhra Pradesh police have aligned with this momentum by expanding coordinated field operations aimed at dismantling trafficking networks, intercepting transport routes, and preventing local distribution.

Within cities, intensified cordon-and-search operations , naka checks at major junctions, and monitoring of sensitive neighbourhoods such as NTR Nagar are designed to disrupt retail-level circulation. Continuous patrols, hotspot surveillance, and offender monitoring form part of the strengthened urban enforcement grid.

Transport corridors have become a critical focus as traffickers increasingly rely on rail and road networks. Expanded railway parcel screening, passenger baggage inspections, and highway check posts now play a key role in intercepting consignments, supported by inter-agency coordination between railway security and district police.

Simultaneously, police are targeting the source of illegal cultivation. The Visakhapatnam region and north-coastal tribal belts, once known cultivation pockets, are witnessing sustained eradication drives using drone surveillance, ground patrols, and crop destruction teams. Alternative-crop programmes for farmers complement enforcement, reflecting a combined prevention and rehabilitation strategy.

All operations are conducted under NDPS procedures, beginning with intelligence documentation and authorised searches, followed by seizure protocols, forensic sample handling, and strict chain-of-custody compliance. K9 units, technical surveillance tools, and public participation through confidential tip lines and awareness drives further strengthen enforcement.

Overall, Andhra Pradesh’s evolving strategy reflects a dual approach cutting supply chains in cities and transit hubs while eliminating cultivation in remote rural pockets aimed at long-term disruption of narcotics networks and prevention of resurgence.