India, April 3 -- In a major crackdown on illicit drug cultivation, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has destroyed cannabis crops spread over 9.49 acres of farmland in Dhule district, North Maharashtra. The operation, spearheaded by the Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur regional units of DRI, uncovered a highly organised network engaged in large-scale illegal cannabis farming.

Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officials launched a surveillance operation in the remote villages of Khamkheda, Ambe, and Rohini, located along the Madhya Pradesh-Maharashtra border. The investigation helped pinpoint seven sites where cannabis was being illegally cultivated.

Following due legal procedures, DRI officials sought assistance from the distric...