THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After being a ganja addict for decades, Edwin, 64, of Karakkonam took up marijuana farming at his premises on the outskirts of the city for quick money. During his arrest by excise officials, also seen were 698 saplings of which half were fully grown, flowering ganja plants and 450 grams of weed drying on his terrace. “Farming was going on for a while. The suspect lives alone in a plush mansion inside acres of land that is covered on all sides by high walls,” said Excise Narcotics Wing Circle Inspector Y Shibu.
“Edwin had parted ways with his wife and children and was living alone, growing his own weed. He wouldn’t let others come to his premises. He confessed that he had supplied ganja to peddlers in Neyyatinkara and Parassala areas,” Mr Shibu added. While it is standard practice for excise officials to torch plants above 3.5 metres, most plants here were around 1.5 - 2 metres. “Only four plants were above 3.5 metres. So we have sealed the premises,” officials said. Edwin was remanded to judicial custody. The arrest was by a team including prevention officers Anil Kumar, Reji Kumar and civil excise officers Deepu, Jesin, Krishnaprasad, Rehesh, P.D. Prasad and Vijayanand.
