MP Police Seize 15,191 Ganja Plants Worth Rs 3 Crore Using Drones

Police have seized 15,191 cannabis plants, weighing nearly 60 quintals and estimated to be worth around Rs 3 crore, from a remote tribal hill region in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone district, officials said on Monday.

The operation, described by police as the biggest action against illegal ganja cultivation in the district, was carried out under 'Operation Prahar' in the Chainpur police station area.

Superintendent of Police Ravindra Verma said the illegal cultivation was detected on forest land allotted under land-lease rights at Jamli and Guwada Thata Faliya.

At Jamli, police seized 9,391 cannabis plants weighing around 3,765 kg and valued at approximately Rs 1.90 crore. Another 5,800 plants, weighing about 2,209 kg and estimated to be worth Rs 1.10 crore, were recovered from Guwada Thata Faliya, he said.

A joint team of 75 police personnel from Chainpur, Bhikangaon, Bistan and Gogawan police stations, along with personnel from the police lines, was deployed for the operation.

Police used drones to locate the cultivation sites in the difficult-to-access hill region. Personnel subsequently made their way to the fields through rivers, hills and rugged terrain before carrying out the seizures.

Officials said the operation took several hours because the area falls within a mobile network 'shadow zone', creating additional communication difficulties for the teams.

Police said the cultivation was being carried out illegally on land covered by lease rights. The recovery has prompted further investigation into the persons involved and the extent of the cultivation network.

Two separate cases have been registered against four accused under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

All four accused are currently absconding, and police teams have launched efforts to trace and apprehend them, officials said.