Beed: In a crackdown on illegal narcotics cultivation, the Wadwani police have arrested a 43-year-old woman and seized nearly 22 kg of cannabis plants (ganja) from a farm at Lonwal in Wadwani tehsil on Wednesday, according to a police official.
Acting on a tip-off received on Wednesday, the police team led by Assistant Police Inspector Varsha Vhagade conducted a raid at a field in Lonwal village. During the operation, officers seized a cultivated patch of cannabis plants allegedly grown for commercial purposes.
Police uprooted and seized 21.960 kg of green ganja, estimated to be worth around ₹5.49 lakh in the illegal market, based on a rate of ₹25,000 per kg.
The accused, identified as Ashabai Audumbar Shingare (43), the owner of the land, was taken into custody at the scene.
A case has been registered at Wadwani police station under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, including Sections 8(C) and 20(b)(ii)(C), which deal with illegal cultivation and possession of commercial quantities of cannabis.
The raid was carried out under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Navneet Kanwat and Additional Superintendent of Police Chetna Tidke by a team led by Police Sub-Inspector Shyam Gaikwad and other personnel.
Police said further investigation is underway to ascertain whether the accused had links to a larger drug network.
Officials reiterated that strict action would be taken against those involved in the cultivation, transport, or sale of narcotics.
