Panaji, Dec 7 (IANS): In a first instance of its kind, the North Goa district police on Wednesday arrested two persons in the tony beach village of Candolim in North Goa for growing a ganja (cannabis) plantation in a property owned by a popular restauranter.

Police Inspector Jivba Dalvi told reporters here that Susanta Sahoo, 26, and Pravash Salam, 20, were arrested during a raid at Candolim beach village, while they were tending to the illegal ganja plantation, where the banned natural drug was also being processed.

"It is a first of a kind major narcotic raid, where the Calangute police have seized illegally cultivated cannabis plants at Candolim. The duo were arrested while gardening and maintaining the cannabis plants," Dalvi said.

Alongside the plantation, the police also found a room, where the harvested cannabis was processed into smaller packets, Dalvi said.

The official said that the property was owned by one Lanny Fialho, a popular restauranter, who has also been booked by the police. "We have been told by the two accused that the plants were being maintained and grown for Fialho," Dalvi said.

"An offence under section 20(a)(I) of NDPS Act, 1985 has been registered. The seized plants weighed to be total 10 kg and is valued at approximately Rs 10 lakh," Dalvi said.

While Goa is one of the top tourism destinations in the country, it also has a reputation for being a nacro-tourism destination.