Bhopal, Nov 4 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Police have seized and identified 11,669 kilograms of cannabis plants valued at more than ₹30.10 crore in Dhar, Khargone, Barwani and Khandwa districts over the past four days.
The drive forms part of the state’s sustained campaign for a drug-free Madhya Pradesh.
Police teams used drone surveillance, informant networks and intensive searches to reach remote riverbanks, hills, forests and areas without mobile coverage.
In several places, the plants were found hidden among cotton and pigeon pea (tur) crops, police officials said. Dhar district accounted for the largest haul.
Under Operation ‘Prahar’ led by SP Sachin Sharma, police seized or identified 8,577.01 kg of cannabis plants worth over ₹27.47 crore. The biggest recovery came from the Manawar police station area, where nearly 6,700 kg valued at ₹25 crore was detected, and four persons were arrested.
Smaller seizures were reported from Bag, Dharampuri, Gandhwani, Mandav, Badnawar, Dahi and Kukshi police stations, with several suspects arrested under the NDPS Act, the officials further said.
In Khargone, teams working under SP Ravindra Verma seized 2,367.85 kg of cannabis plants worth ₹1.91 crore across five police station jurisdictions, including remote villages under Helapadava outpost and areas of Maheshwar, Gogawan, Balakwada and Bistan, they said.
In Barwani, under Operation ‘Green Strike’, police recovered 428.84 kg of cannabis plants (1,753 plants) valued at nearly ₹42 lakh from Borpadwa and Kajalmata villages.
In Khandwa, police seized 295.70 kg of cannabis plants worth ₹29.57 lakh from two locations under Jawar police station and arrested two persons. Officials said the campaign goes beyond seizures and aims to dismantle networks involved in illegal cultivation, production and trafficking.
The Madhya Pradesh Police have urged citizens to report any information about narcotic cultivation or trade in their areas. The police officials said they will further intensify operations in the area to curb the drug menace.
–IANS
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