In a significant crackdown on narcotics cultivation, a joint operation by Nashik's Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and Dhule police has led to the seizure of cannabis plants valued at over ₹1 crore from a remote forest area along the Madhya Pradesh border.
Massive Cannabis Plantation Busted in Shirpur
The operation unfolded between Wednesday and Friday in the dense forests of Jamnyapani village within Shirpur taluka of Dhule district. Acting on specific intelligence received by ANTF Deputy SP Gulabrao Patil about extensive illegal cultivation, police teams raided the area and made seven arrests.
Those apprehended include Kalusing Pawra (35), Harba Pawra (27), and Gonda Pavra (55) from Varla in Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh, along with Krushna Pawra (25), Gulab Pawra (55), Kantilal Pawra (26), and Ramesh Pawra (21) from Sangvi and Shirpur areas.
Two-Day Operation Yields Substantial Haul
The anti-narcotics drive continued over two days, resulting in the confiscation of 2,050 kilograms of cannabis plants with an estimated street value of ₹1.02 crore. All seven accused were presented before a court on Thursday and remanded to four days of police custody for further investigation.
Authorities have registered a case under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Shirpur taluka police station. The accused face charges of illegally cultivating and guarding the cannabis plantation.
Ongoing Vigilance Against Forest Cannabis Cultivation
Senior police officers revealed that they have been maintaining continuous surveillance on illegal cannabis cultivation in remote forest areas of Shirpur taluka. This isn't an isolated incident, as several similar cases have been detected in the region in the past.
The successful joint operation highlights the determined efforts of Maharashtra police to combat drug trafficking at its source, particularly targeting cultivation activities in border areas that often exploit the dense forest cover for concealment.
