New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) Kerala’s drug problem is huge. Not only has the state become a major transit and entry point, the consumer market, too, has gone up considerably.
Under the scanner of the agencies are the suppliers, the carriers and now the consumers as well.
High profile parties which are held in luxury hotels have come increasingly under the scanner in recent months.
In addition to this, the police have learnt that the demand for marijuana has gone down considerably and this has been replaced by heroin, MDMA and ecstasy.
An official said that drug smugglers are using multiple tactics in Kerala to smuggle and supply drugs. While the coastal route still remains the most active, the focus of the agencies has shifted to the migrant workers who are today the primary carriers of drugs.
The same touts who get the migrant workers into Kerala are the ones who are telling these persons to supply the drugs.
The migrant workers are lured into the trade by offering them money. Those who refuse to supply the drugs are threatened that they would be sent back to their respective states or country, an official added.
If one looks at the recent cases in Kerala, an increasing number of these workers have been booked. They are mainly used to supply heroin, investigations have found.
Over the last one-and-half years nearly 103 migrant workers have been booked by the agencies. These workers are from Assam and other northeastern states and on many occasions they have been caught at the railway station after they reach the state.
This suggests a clear pattern and it is not just drugs that enter through the coastal or aerial route which are being supplied by these migrants. There have been numerous times when they had got the drugs in from their respective states and then supplied it in Kerala.
Another official said that the shift from ganja to heroin was made not only because of its higher demand. Ganja is easier to detect when compared to heroin as it is more potable.
Another modus operandi that has come to light is the migrants abandoning the bags with heroin at select locations at the railway stations. They often do not carry it with them and drop it off at select points. After that they call the contact person who in turn arranges for the contraband to be picked up.
While tracking down the suppliers and distributors is one part of the problem, the law enforcement agencies are also keeping a close watch on the consumers.
The Kerala police is looking into a network comprising high profile personalities who are supplying drugs such as MDMA and ecstasy. The probe widened following the arrest of one Kevin B Mathew. From him the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) seized 183.55 grams of MDMA and 93.51 grams of ecstasy pills.
The probe has learnt that supplies in big quantities were taking place at high-profile venues where parties are held. There is a huge demand for ecstasy pills and MDMA at such parties which are held at top notch venues.
The role of such venues in facilitating such parties where drug consumption is high is being examined by the agencies. There is a group of people who attend such parties. They book the venue under the guise of having a private party, but in reality it is narcotics networking event.
The police are also exploring the inter-state players in this network. It has been found that drugs into Kochi have come in from Karnataka and Delhi. The probe into this network began following a March 28 raid at a party that was held at a luxury hotel in Kadavanthra. Eight people had been apprehended with narcotics during that raid.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that when it comes to Kerala and narcotics there is a problem of plenty. While the demand by consumers has gone up a lot, the agencies are also tracking the drugs that come in from other states and countries.
The coastline that stretches over 590 kilometres has made Kerala a preferred destination for narcotic cartels. Owing to this factor, cartels from both the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle operate in Kerala.
–IANS
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