Home |Hyderabad| Drug Peddlers Feel The Heat Of Clampdown
Drug Peddlers feel the heat of clampdown
Hyderabad: Drug peddlers and cartels are feeling the heat like never before, with an unprecedented Statewide crackdown being launched a week ago.The crackdown, which is being intensified each day, was the outcome of a high-level meeting by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao with senior police officials, which saw special teams being formed in all districts […]
Hyderabad: Drug peddlers and cartels are feeling the heat like never before, with an unprecedented Statewide crackdown being launched a week ago.
The crackdown, which is being intensified each day, was the outcome of a high-level meeting by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao with senior police officials, which saw special teams being formed in all districts to identify drug cartels, local and interstate, and to bring them to book.
Around 1,000 cases have already been booked across the State in the last week following raids on ganja smugglers and peddlers. In Hyderabad, the City Police formed special teams to coordinate with the Prohibition and Excise Department to target organised gangs engaged in bulk and retail sales of marijuana and other drugs. A watch is also being kept on transporters sourcing it from agency areas of Andhra Pradesh.
In Hyderabad and its surroundings, police have also mounted a vigil on drug cartels and are arresting those involved in ganja-related cases.
“Special drives are being conducted and persons involved in ganja cases and selling tobacco products are being arrested. We are also initiating the PD Act against those involved in the drug cases,” City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said.
To ensure that people do not shift to substance abuse in the wake of the clampdown on ganja and tobacco products, the police are also in touch with the Drug Control Administration (DCA). An eye is also being kept on foreign nationals found importing drugs from their native places.
Cyberabad Commissioner M Stephen Raveendra said discussions were held with senior officials of the DCA to control substance abuse. “Together, we will create awareness among pharmacists and expand our operations,” he said.
Rachakonda Commissioner Mahesh M Bhagwat said the police were focusing on peddlers as they usually enter into the city through the Outer Ring Road and also use the road to carry the contraband from Andhra Pradesh to other States via the highways through Ranga Reddy, Medchal and Yadadri Bhongir districts.
“Surveillance is also maintained on foreign nationals staying in Rachakonda as a few of them were found to be dealing in drugs earlier and were arrested,” Bhagwat said.
Psychotropic and narcotic drugs: Psychotropic designate chemical substances are those that act upon the mind, while narcotics include substances that cause stupor, muscular relaxation and a reduction or elimination of sensitivity.
As per law in most cases, the classification of a substance as narcotics or psychotropic derives from the Single Conventions on Narcotic Drugs (New York) or on Psychotropic Substances (Vienna). Narcotics and psychotropics are often simply called narcotic drugs.
Drugs usually seized in Hyderabad
Drugs seized in the city in recent times by different law enforcement agencies such as Telangana State Police, the Narcotics Control Bureau, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Prohibition & Excise Department include cannabis, opium, cocaine, heroin, Mephedrone, ephedrine and ketamine, LSD, and amphetamines.
NDPS Act in brief
Those caught in drug cases are usually booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, commonly referred to as the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) Act. The Act prohibits production/manufacturing/cultivation, possession, sale, purchasing, transport, storage, and/or consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance.
Punishment for consumption
Consumption of drugs like cocaine, morphine and heroin attracts rigorous imprisonment up to one year or fine up to Rs 20,000 or both. For other drugs, the punishment is imprisonment up to six months or fine up to Rs 10,000 or both.
Quantum based punishment
Senior advocate of Telangana High Court Khaja Aejazuddin says the NDPS Act treats drug offences very seriously and penalties are stringent. “The quantum of punishment depends upon the quantity of the drug involved. The punishment is different for small quantities and commercial quantities of the drug,” he said. In the case of cannabis, there are separate charges invoked against the one cultivating, possessing, selling, purchasing, transporting, importing, exporting or using cannabis. The punishment may extend up 20 years and shall also be liable to a fine of Rs 1 lakh. Under the Act, abetment and criminal conspiracy and even an attempt to commit an offence the Act attracts the same punishment as the offence itself. Preparation to commit an offence attracts half the penalty. Repeat offences attract one and half times the penalty and in some cases even the death penalty.
Now you can get handpicked stories from Telangana Today onTelegrameveryday. Click the link to subscribe.