Gujarat SMC seizes 93 ganja plants worth ₹1 cr from farm in Botad, 1 held

Gujarat's State Monitoring Cell (SMC) has uncovered large-scale cannabis cultivation in Nani Vavdi village of Botad district, seizing 93 marijuana plants weighing 198.19 kg and valued at nearly ₹1 crore during a midnight raid on Monday.

The raid was carried out at a farm owned by Ajitsinh Jivabhai Barad in Nani Vavdi, under Ranpur taluka. The search led to the recovery of 198.190 kg of cannabis plants, estimated to be worth ₹99.09 lakh. Police also seized a mobile phone valued at ₹10,000, ₹6,000 in cash and a vehicle worth ₹25,000. The total value of the seized contraband and other property stands at ₹99.5 lakh.

Barad, the prime accused, was detained on the spot and handed over to the local police station for further investigation. Officials stated that three more individuals linked to the cultivation network are currently absconding.

Those wanted include Mahaveersinh Padhiyar and Dhamabhai Solanki, both alleged to have assisted in the cultivation, and Ratansinh Chavda, suspected to be the supplier of cannabis seeds. All three are believed to be residents of nearby villages in Botad and Ahmedabad rural.

The case has been registered under sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The raid was led by Police Inspector G R Rabari and PSI R B Vanaar of the State Monitoring Cell.

Police said efforts are underway to trace and arrest the absconding accused and to determine the scale of the alleged cultivation network in the region.