Dahod police busts cannabis plantation with the aid of AI and Drones

Dahod: In the first such use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Gujarat, the district police have achieved success by employing AI to identify illegal cannabis (marijuana) plant cultivation alongside other crops or vegetables.

A system has been developed using AI to detect cannabis plants, with police deploying drones to capture photos and videos of suspicious areas. If cannabis is planted alongside any other crop or vegetable, the AI and Machine Learning (ML) systems easily identify the cannabis plants. After locating the suspected area, the police file cases and conduct planned raids.

This marks the first experiment in Gujarat using artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify cannabis plantations by flying drones, a method that has proven successful in capturing cannabis plantations worth over Rs. 1.19 crore. This initiative has also received appreciation from Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi.

The quantities of Ganja (marijuana), seized through this AI-assisted method are as follows:

– 56 bags of Ganja , weighing 55 kg 900 grams and worth Rs. 5,59,000, were seized from a field in Jetpur village of Jhalod.
– 702 plants of Ganja, weighing 474 kg and worth Rs. 47,48,500, were seized from cotton and toorr plantations at Virol village of Devgadh Baria.
– 1209 plants of Ganja worth Rs. 34 lakh were recovered from a farm in Modhva village of Dhanpur
– 662 plants of Ganja, worth Rs. 32,73,000, were seized from a farm in Nalu village of Dhanpur.

“This method was initially experimented with by the DRI in Himachal Pradesh. Artificial intelligence systems function similarly to the human brain, and we are making good use of them. Due to the large area of land, it is impractical to manually search for cannabis plantations from farm to farm. By flying drones in suspicious areas, cannabis plants can be easily identified with the help of AI and Machine Learning (ML) systems. This marks the first attempt to capture ganja using this system in Gujarat,” said Dr. Rajdeep Singh Jhala, SP, Dahod.

It is challenging for the police to search the area after receiving information about the cultivation of ganja in a specific region. Alongside the logistical difficulties of deploying a large police force for such searches, other issues may arise. However, the drones are used with a 30x zoomable camera, capturing photos and videos of the suspicious area. Subsequently, the AI and Machine Learning (ML) systems identify the cannabis plant in the footage, marking it with a red indicator. Following this, the law enforcement process is initiated. DeshGujarat