Chennai: Tamilnadu DGP C Sylendra Babu has issued orders to police personnel across the State to conduct ‘Operation Ganja 2.0’ for a period of one month from 28 March to 27 April to curb the procurement and sale of the banned substance on Tuesday.
The DGP also told the police to slap Goondas Act against habitual offenders involved in the menace.
He sent a circular to all city Police Commissioners and district Superintendents of Police to comply with the order.
The Police conducted a similar operation from December 2021 to January 2022 to curb the sale of ganja and pan masala products.
The DGP has said immediate steps should be taken to stamp out the sale of ganja, gutka and narcotic drugs near schools and colleges. Peddlers of ganja and ‘gutka’ products should be arrested and jailed. Those who indulged in such illegal acts continuously should be detained under the Goondas Act, he said in his circular.
Further, DGP said, action should be initiated against those involved in mass procurement and storing of ganja in order to stop the chain of crime.
The police should also start a WhatsApp group with people residing near schools and colleges to provide tipoffs about sale of ganja, he said.
Only recently, Sylendra Babu said stringent action was being taken against ganja smugglers and vendors operating in the State.
With the Covid-19 pandemic subsiding to a great extent, educational institutions were reopening in Tamil Nadu. Hence, surveillance had been intensified on campuses across the State, he told reporters.