Indian Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) sleuths have said that ganja from Andhra Pradesh is being smuggled to Sri Lanka apart from also being supplied to peddlers across the country, Time of India reported today. In the third week of January, NCB sleuths arrested four peddlers at Ghatkesar while they were trying to peddle 212kg ganja sourced from agency areas in Andhra Pradesh and erstwhile Warangal district to Pune and Mumbai. During the interrogation of the kingpin — Ganesh Gavane, who was also wanted in 955kg ganja seizure case of August 2020 — the NCB team found out that the ganja from agency areas in Andhra Pradesh is being supplied to peddlers in India and Sri Lanka. “Ganja cultivation in India is largely concentrated around the Maoist-affected Andhra-Odisha border. Ganja from this region is being sold in New Delhi, Mumbai, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal. It is also being smuggled across the ocean to Sri Lanka,” said an NCB official. According to investigators, the reason for the Andhra-Odisha border becoming a ganja producing hub is mainly due to the terrain and Maoist problem in the region. “Inaccessibility of the forest area in hilly terrain and Maoist problem makes it difficult for law enforcement agencies to curb ganja cultivation,” an excise official said. The ganja procured from agency areas for Rs 5,000 - Rs 10,000 by peddlers gets sold to distributors in urban areas at 10 times the price.