Bhavnagar, February 23 – The Sihor Police in the Bhavnagar district have seized narcotic crops and related materials worth more than Rs 10.92 crore after uncovering illegal cultivation in the border area between the villages of Sakhvadar and Sar, officials said on Monday.
The seizure was made from an orchard located on a slope in the Sihor taluka, following a specific tip-off.
The local police received information that opium and ganja were being cultivated on an orchard owned by two brothers.
Acting on this information, a police team conducted a raid on Sunday morning.
During the operation, officers seized 1,087.52 kilograms of green opium poppy plants, valued at Rs 10,86,98,000, and 26 kilograms of dried poppy husk worth Rs 3,90,900, and 19 kilograms of green ganja plants, valued at Rs 1,91,400.
Two mobile phones, valued at Rs 5,000, were also recovered. Other items seized included three mats, Aadhaar cards, copies of Village Form 8-A land records relating to two survey numbers, a light bulb, a saree, and a plastic bag.
The total estimated value of the seized narcotics is Rs 10,92,85,300.
The accused have been identified as Sanjaybhai Chauhan, 55, and Boghabhai Chauhan, 53, both farmers and residents of the border area of Sihor taluka.
They have been charged under Sections 8(B), 8(C), 15(B), 18(B), 20(A), 20(B)(II) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Further legal proceedings are underway.
This seizure comes amid a series of recent anti-narcotics operations in Gujarat.
On February 18, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad and the Indian Coast Guard intercepted an Iranian-registered speedboat about 140 nautical miles off Porbandar during a joint maritime operation.
Officials said that around 203 kilograms of suspected narcotic substances were recovered and two Iranian nationals were arrested.
In another case, the Anti Narcotics Task Force of the CID crime unit in Ahmedabad seized 30.60 grams of mephedrone, valued at approximately Rs 91,800, during a raid in the Khadia area on February 17.
One person was arrested at the scene, while two others were named in the complaint as investigations continue to trace the source and distribution network of the contraband.