KOCHI: The state excise department is on high alert following the ganja harvest in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and the start of the sales season. It is sold in other states at a 50 percent discount over a rate of Rs 2,000 per kg. Migrant workers are also taking advantage of the situation and smuggling cannabis. In Perumbavoor, which has the highest number of migrant workers in the state, 30 kg of cannabis was seized in just two weeks.

Excise has set up a special 'operation' with the police and the Railway Protection Force to curb the flow of ganja. Vehicles from trains to bikes will be inspected at the border. All the teams like Shadow, Intelligence and Special Team have been deployed to nab the cannabis smugglers.

Wholesale centres

Andhra Pradesh: Visakhapatnam, Patheru, Thooni, Srikakulam, Karimnagar.
Odisha: Bhramapur, Raigad, Mohana, Jagapathi.

Six months of cultivation, then sale

The crop is planted in June-July and harvested in December-January. It will be dried and stored from January. Then comes the sales season. The farmers and main workers in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are from Rajakadu, Adimali and Kothamangalam, who have left the state after the inspection was tightened in Idukki.