Udupi: Police destroy drugs worth Rs 36.29 lakh, intensify anti-drug drive

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Jun 27, 2026: Expressing concern over the rising menace of substance abuse among youth, Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar said the department is committed to eliminating the drug menace through sustained enforcement and public awareness campaigns.

Speaking to reporters on Friday after overseeing the destruction of seized narcotic substances at Ayush Envirotech in the Nandikur Industrial Area, the SP said the contraband was destroyed in compliance with court orders as part of the observance of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The destroyed narcotics, valued at approximately Rs 36.29 lakh, had been seized in 17 cases registered during 2025–26 under the jurisdictions of six police stations in Udupi district. The contraband included 73.9 kg of ganja, 15 grams of MDMA, and other banned substances.

The SP said that 64 kg of the ganja had been seized under the limits of Malpe Police Station, accounting for the largest share of the destroyed contraband. He added that ganja is mainly cultivated in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Police have not only arrested drug traffickers but have also initiated legal action against plantation owners and middlemen, including those operating in Odisha.

Additional Superintendent of Police Sudhakar, Additional SP Belliyappa K.U., DySP Vijayaprasad, Circle Inspectors Vijayaprasad (Karkala) and Ajjath Ali (Kaup), Padubidri Police Station Inspector Shaktivelu, Kaup Police Station Inspector Tejaswi, DCRB Sub-Inspector Gopal Nayak, SOCO personnel, police personnel from various stations, and employees of Ayush Envirotech were present during the destruction process.