Drugs alert in state; Special week-long drive launched ahead of New Year

Bengaluru: In the wake of the New Year celebrations, the state police have launched a special drive to prevent the entry of drugs across the state including Bangalore, Mangalore, Udupi, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad.

For the New Year celebrations in the major cities of the state including Bangalore and Mangalore, crores of rupees worth drugs are to be transported. The police have been alerted after getting a tip-off that drug peddlers are trying to conduct transactions and are taking orders online. Sources said that in this backdrop, instructions have been given to the zonal Deputy Police Commissioners and district superintendents of police to conduct drive against drugs for a week from Monday and to be vigilant.

It is estimated that more than Rs 200 crore drug trade is likely to take place on the occasion of New Year, and directions have been issued to prevent this. DGP Praveen Sood has said that it has been suggested to monitor those who have been arrested and released in drug trafficking cases and the accused who were involved in the cases.

He said that the police department has continuously monitored the drug sales network in the state.

Drugs are entering major cities of the state including Bangalore through smuggling routes. LSD, MDMA, LSD sticks, ecstasy, brown sugar, cocaine, hashish, charas are coming to Iran in large quantities by plane and ships, and from there they are being smuggled to Kochi, Goa, Chennai, Mumbai and are being shipped to the state.

Avoiding the eyes of NCB officials, darkweb sites and reaching through courier, there is a good network in the state.

There have been indications of local ganja and opium coming from Odisha, Bangladesh, Andhra Pradesh Kurnool, Anantapur, Visakhapatnam, Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri, Goa.

It is said that students are contacting the peddlers by creating groups on websites, WhatsApp, Facebook group, Telegram, Instagram for New Year celebration.

Drive started against drug peddlers The drive to arrest those who were selling drugs started in Bengaluru from Saturday itself, and the police arrested Shabir (26) from Kerala. MDMA worth 50 grams and a two-wheeler worth Rs 2 lakh were seized from him. In another case, two persons from Odisha were arrested by the Konanakunte police station on charges of collecting drugs and preparing to sell them on the eve of New Year and Christmas. Drugs worth Rs 35 lakh were seized from them.

During the New Year celebration, the police will keep vigilance against drug users everywhere. The police department is ready to take action against drug peddlers, said Praveen Sood, State Director General of Police.

During the New Year celebrations, major dance bars, pubs, suburban apartments, rooms of five-star hotels, and deserted areas in the outskirts of the city are the bane of drug consumption.