PERNEM
Pernem police arrested two Russian nationals and booked a flat owner after raiding a cannabis ‘nursery’ valued at Rs 3.5 lakh in Mandrem on Monday.
According to Pernem PI Jivba Dalvi, police received a tip that two foreigners were managing a cannabis ‘nursery’ in their rented house at Gawdewada-Mandrem and were selling it to buyers. The Russian nationals were staying on the premises since May.
A police team headed by PI Dalvi raided the place and found that the Russian nationals had started cannabis plantation in their flat and suitable environment had been created using tube lights, exhaust fans and other equipment to facilitate the growth of the cannabis plants for commercial plantation.
A total of five fully cultivated cannabis plants and dry ganja weighing 2.5 kg, all worth Rs 3.5 lakh, have been seized under the NDPS Act. Cash of Rs 25,000 was also recovered during the raid.
An offence under the NDPS Act has been registered against the two accused and they are currently in police custody.
An offence has also been booked against the house owner on charges of allowing his premises for cultivation and thereby being a part of a conspiracy to cultivate cannabis.
Pernem police said the raid and action sends a strong message to those who rent out their premises to foreigners to carry out illegal activities.
The raiding team consisted of PI Jivba Dalvi, PSI Praful Giri, PSI Harish Vaingankar, PSI Sanjit Kandolkar and constables Ravi Maloji, Anishkumar Poke, Vinod Pednekar, Sabaji Rawool, Devidas Malkar and Deepa Virnodkar.
This is the second major action against drug activities in five days after PI Dalvi took charge of Pernem police station.
Further investigation is in progress under the overall supervision of Mapusa SDPO Gajanan Prabhudesai and guidance of SP North Utkrisht Prasoon.
