Date:09/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/09/stories/2007100954250400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Hilly areas under the scanner

K.T. Sangameswaran

CHENNAI: The Narcotics Intelligence Bureau CID of the State police has directed its personnel to conduct checks in the hilly areas of Salem, Virudhunagar and Villupuram districts following the detection of ganja plants at a village in Pennagaram taluk in Dharmapuri district.

The detection of ganja as an inter-crop on seven acres at Varukkaranpatti village surprised the unit personnel, as it is usually raised by smugglers in the hilly areas of Theni and Dindigul districts.

Andhra Pradesh link

Su. Arunachalam, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, NIB CID, told The Hindu that two persons arrested in this connection had revealed that the seeds were given to them by a person from Andhra Pradesh. A strict watch was being maintained in Theni and Dindigul districts, in association with Forest officials.

The police officer said in 16 cases detected by the Chennai unit of the NIB CID this year, the source of supply was Andhra Pradesh.

In one instance, two persons smuggled 53 kg of ganja stacked in air-tight packs to evade detection. It was sourced from Padakiri in Andhra Pradesh.

The other sources of supply in the remaining cases included Pongopalpattinam in Visakhapatnam district, Anagapalli and Tuni.