THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The excise department has sought the help of the Tamil Nadu police in cracking the distribution hubs based in Cumbam and Theni areas of Tamil Nadu in an effort to curb at source the flourishing ganja trade in the state. “Ganja from Telangana is smuggled in large quantities to Cumbam and Theni areas,” excise commissioner Rishi Raj Singh, who held talks with Tamil Nadu’s then DGP Ashok Kumar and ADGP J. K. Tripathi last month, said.
“It is then smuggled to Kerala in packets of two kilograms each by private and transport vehicles. We have sought the help of the Tamil Nadu police in cracking this supply chain at its source.” Mr Singh said that joint operations of the state excise along with their counterparts in Tamil Nadu are on.
Mr. Singh said over 95 per cent of the ganja being distributed in Kerala now is grown in Telangana. It is even suspected that Maoists grow it. A steep increase in ganja cases was reported ever since restrictions on sale of liquor were imposed in the state. During this year so far, the excise department has seized over 1000 kilograms of ganja, much higher than the seizures during previous years, said Mr. Singh.
