Police commissioners and superintendents in districts and cities, including Bengaluru, will oversee the mass destruction of narcotics seized last year. According to the Home Department, a record 4,066 cases were registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), leading to massive seizure of over Rs 50 crore and arrest of 5,291 people.
Despite the Covid-induced lockdown, the supply of medicine in the state continues unabated. In addition to marijuana, the seizures included more than 34 kg of poppy and 161 kg of opium.
“In previous years, the department was targeting peddlers. In 2020, we analyzed the supply chain and went to the roots,” said the DGP and IGP Praveen interest. “Also, the state and Bengaluru police were able to break into the black net where drug trade is rampant these days. Apart from Bengaluru, large quantities of narcotics were seized from places like Kalaburagi, Belagavi and Udupi. Medicines come from other states also in these districts.
Sood said the actual seizure is much higher but the courts have allowed destruction of drugs only in prescribed quantities.
Hemp and poppy worth over Rs 60 lakh destroyed in Belagavik
Officials said that permission has been taken from the Pollution Control Board to burn the narcotics. 786 kg of ganja and 31 kg of poppy will be destroyed in a factory of Green Management Pvt Ltd, which deals in medical disposal in Belagavi. Medicines will be burnt in closed boxes. A similar process will be followed in other districts as well. Other drugs include brown sugar, heroin, hashish, charas, cocaine, MDMA Powders, MDMA tablets, amphetamines and LSD strips.
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