Salem sub-division railway police seize over 2,400 kg of ganja, gutkha in nine months
Railway police in the Salem sub-division have seized over 2,400 kg of ganja and gutkha over the past nine months through increased train inspections. Authorities have intensified efforts to curb smuggling, leading to a significant increase in contraband recovery.
Why it matters
Effective interdiction of illegal substances on public transport is critical for maintaining law and order and public health safety.
In the past nine months, as of September 23, the railway police in Salem sub-division seized over 2,400 kg of ganja and gutkha in trains and arrested 32 persons in connection with the smuggling.
The Salem sub-division consists of Salem, Dharmapuri, Hosur (Krishnagiri district), Jolarpettai (Tirupattur district) and Katpadi (Vellore district) railway stations. To prevent smuggling of ganja and gutkha via trains, the Salem sub-division railway police have increased inspections on trains. Trains heading to Kerala from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are checked in particular as they are considered important connecting points for smuggling ganja.
Special teams were deployed to inspect trains on a daily basis, with an average of 10 trains checked per day. With increased inspections, people smuggling ganja or gutkha abandon bags near train toilets, creating difficulty in tracing the accused while seizing the contraband in may cases.
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