Collector Orders Coordinated Crackdown on Narcotics
He also directed officials to identify drug trafficking networks in coordination with state and central agencies and take stringent action against offenders
Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam district collector M. Abhishikth Kishore has directed officials to intensify coordinated action across departments to curb narcotics trafficking and drug abuse.
Chairing a meeting of the district-level Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) committee at the Collectorate on Saturday, he called for enhanced surveillance on cannabis smuggling routes and intensified awareness programmes to prevent students and youth from falling prey to drug addiction.
The collector instructed officials to focus on cannabis transport routes from Odisha through the Vizianagaram border and ordered joint inspections by the police, GRP, RPF and APSRTC at railway stations, bus stations, check-posts and other transit points. He also directed greater use of drones, CCTV cameras, night-vision equipment and sniffer dogs.
To prevent the entry of synthetic drugs and cocaine through sea routes, he asked Customs, the Coast Guard, port authorities and the police to maintain coordinated surveillance at Visakhapatnam and Gangavaram ports. He also directed officials to identify drug trafficking networks in coordination with state and central agencies and take stringent action against offenders.
The collector instructed officials to ensure that drug addicts are referred to de-addiction, counselling and rehabilitation centres, including those at King George Hospital (KGH) and Green's Valley. He also ordered awareness programmes in schools and colleges on the dangers of drug abuse and directed strict enforcement against public consumption of alcohol near liquor outlets.
He asked the police, Narcotics Control Bureau, Coast Guard, Customs, port authorities, Railways, APSRTC and the Health department to work in close coordination.
Police commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi said 117 NDPS cases had been registered and 223 persons arrested up to June 2026. Seizures included 617.29 kg of ganja, 10.83 grams of MDMA, 3.2 litres of hashish oil and three LSD blots.
He said history sheets had been opened against 837 repeat drug offenders, while financial investigations were under way in 26 cases involving suspected traffickers. He added that special inspections and cordon-and-search operations under Operation Vajra Prahar, along with drone surveillance, expanded CCTV coverage and sniffer dog deployment, were continuing.
DCPs Mary Prashanthi and Manikanta, Eagle Additional SP Chukka Srinivas, CI Kalyani and officials from the Narcotics Control Bureau, Coast Guard, Customs, Visakhapatnam Port, Gangavaram Port, APSRTC, KGH and the Health department attended the meeting.
