Man arrested with 852-gm charas

Tribune News Service

Chamba, October 18

The Chamba police have arrested one Shabir Mohamud, a resident of Trimol village in Kalar area of the district, with 852-gram charas.

Chamba SP Monika said that when asked to stop, Shabir had tried to escape and upon checking charas was recovered from his possession. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against him.

The SP said Shabir had admitted to having produced charas locally. “He was planning to sell it in lower areas of the state. The case brings to fore the problem of charas being produced in hinterlands of Chamba,” she said.

Earlier, only the Kullu district was notorious for charas production, but now the narcotics gangs have managed to grow cannabis in remote areas of Chamba and Kangra district too. There were reports of cannabis plantation in remote Bara Bhangal valley of Kangra.

Cannabis produced in Himachal is in demand at tourist places. It is also smuggled outside the state, where its value increases manifold, driving many into the trade.

The Narcotics Control Bureau of India and the Himachal Pradesh Police have carried out drives to eradicate cannabis plantation from various areas of the state.