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A few days ago, the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) in Mangaluru submitted a report to the city police stating that 108 kg of chocolates recently seized by the police from two places, including a petty shop, in the central district area of the city, were laced with cannabis (ganja).
The chocolates had been seized from Manohar Shet, 49, a resident of V.T. Road, and Bechan Sonkar, 45, a native of Goshi Tehsil of Uttar Pradesh, who had been arrested under provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act on charges of unauthorised possession and selling of ganja. They were produced before the jurisdiction magistrate, who remanded the two to 14 days of judicial custody.
Ganja-laced chocolates seem to be the new substance that the youth in Mangaluru city have got addicted to. It’s during the ongoing counselling of drug consumers, being held as part of “Free Dakshina Kannada of drugs” campaign, that the city police got information about sale of ganja-laced chocolates.
After raiding several shops and other establishments, the city police seized ₹5,500 worth chocolates from the petty shop of Sonkar in Falnir in the city. These chocolates were being sold across the counter as ‘Mahashakti Munakka’, ‘Bum Bum Munakka Vati’, ‘Power Munakka Vati’, and ‘Anand Choorna’. Later the police seized 12,592 ganja chocolates from the shop of Shet on Car Street. Having booked the two shop owners for food adulteration, the city police sought the report of RFSL to confirm the presence of ganja in chocolates. Though they were initially referred to as “bhang chocolates” the police on RFSL analysis found the substance to be ganja.
Seized articles (weapons) from drug peddlers displayed during a press conference at the Commissioners office, in Mangaluru.
| Photo Credit:
MANJUNATH HS
Deadline set by HM
Since June, the city police took up the ‘Drug-free Mangaluru’ drive. The drive gained strength and Dakshina Kannada district administration too joined hands following the call by Home Minister G. Parameshwara asking district administrations of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi to free the two coastal districts from drugs and addictive substances. “There should not be any sale of drugs post August 15,” Mr. Parameshwara set an ambitious task for the police and district administration following review meetings in Mangaluru and Udupi on June 6.
Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan said a good number of students from different parts of the country study in over eight medical colleges, other para-medical colleges, and a host of other institutions of repute in the district.
“Because of the sheer scale of students studying in the education institutions, there is an increase in the consumption base of drugs. As the demand for drugs is more, its availability is high,” he said and added there is a perception that narcotic drugs sale and consumption is high in Dakshina Kannada. While stating that a complete end to sale and consumption is difficult. Mr. Muhilan said the district administration is working towards a comprehensive approach where the demand for drugs is curtailed by choice. “Police and district administration are working as one unit for this cause,” Mr. Jain said.
Mangaluru city and Dakshina Kannada district police have been acting against drug peddlers. Counselling sessions are being held at the police stations for drug consumers after screening them for drug consumption. The police, in association with Anti Tobacco Cell of Department of Health and Family Welfare, have been regularly raiding shops near educational institutions and booking cases against shop owners under Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act for selling cigarettes, which are often gateways to drugs consumption.
Commissioner of Police, Kuldeep Kumar R Jain looked at the seized articles (weapons) from drug peddlers during a press conference at Commissioner’s office.
| Photo Credit:
MANJUNATH HS
Drug route
Mr. Jain said he is not sure of the gravity of drug abuse in the region as drugs are routed to the coastal belt from Bengaluru, Mumbai, and other parts of the country through different modes. “We are making sincere efforts to bring down the demand,” he said.
The city police seized over ₹75 lakh worth drugs in the last eight months, which is more than ₹60 lakh and ₹74 lakh worth narcotic drugs seized in in the whole of 2022 and 2021, respectively.
In terms of peddlers, Mr. Jain said the city police have so far in this year booked 43 peddlers of which more than 50% are first timers. As many as 34 peddlers were booked in 2022 and 52 were booked in 2021. “We are tracing more peddlers from those who are booked. We have also opened a channel of communication with drug consumers, which has been helping us in catching the peddlers,” Mr. Jain said.
Dr. Ravish Thunga, Consultant and Director, Manaswini, Thunga Institute of Psychiatry and Counselling interacting with officials at a workshop as part of drug-free DK campaign at Eric Mathias Hall, St Aloysius College.
| Photo Credit:
MANJUNATH HS
CM’s direction
Following a recent direction by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mr. Jain said the city police are invoking provisions of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act for externment and attachment of property of these accused. “The PITNDPS is being invoked for the first time. Proposal to invoke it against two persons has been finalised,” he said.
On the other hand, the Dakshina Kannada administration has revived the ‘Anti Drug Cells’ in education institutions. These cells are being given responsibility of holding counselling sessions for students who are under the influence of drugs.
“Counselling session has to be held at regular intervals to build the self esteem of consumers and bring them out of influence of drugs. Many cells have already started it,” said Dakshina Kannada Additional Deputy Commissioner G. Santosh Kumar. Counselling facility at the Government Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru and other government and private health facilities were being used, he added. The cells will be coordinating with police in making their campuses free from drugs, Mr. Kumar said.
The district health department has provided drug screening kits, which resembles pregnancy kits, to primary health centres for screening of suspected drug consumers. Using the kits police are screening suspects quickly and thus preventing delay in bringing suspects all the way to health facilities in Mangaluru for screening, said District Health and Family Welfare Officer M. Kishore Kumar.
Commissioner of police Kuldeep Kumar R Jain (Left) along with Mahesh Kumar Naik, ACP North hold a meeting with the public as part of drug-free D.K campaign at Panambur police station,.
| Photo Credit:
MANJUNATH HS
Drastic increase in consumption
While commending the police and the district administration’s ongoing drive against drugs and its abuse, Mahabalesh Shetty, Professor and Head, Department of Forensic Science, K. S. Hegde Medical Academy, Mangaluru, said there is drastic increase in instances of consumption of synthetic drugs namely MDMA and LSD in the city and in other parts of Dakshina Kannada.
“These synthetic drugs are difficult to be identified,” he said. The peddlers are using different means to contact consumers and reach out to them. There are also several instances of consumption of barbiturates, the scheduled sedative drugs, without prescription.
“For a meaningful result, the anti-drug drive should be carried out across the country,” Dr. Shetty said. Unlike the present screening test, the investigation agencies should go for multi-drug screening test to identify consumers of MDMA and other narcotic drugs.
Dr. Shetty, who has held anti drug campaigns across institutions in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, said regular nicotine screening test should be held for students from Classes 7 to 12. “In this way we can prevent a whole generation of youths from falling prey to drug abuse,” he said.
Participants in a workshop as part of drug-free DK campaign at Eric Mathias Hall, St Aloysius College, in Mangaluru.
| Photo Credit:
MANJUNATH HS
Ending in acquittal
Former Director General of National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics, G. Shreekumar Menon, said it is important for investigation agencies to ensure that investigation is done as per stringent procedure prescribed under the NDPS Act for conviction of drug peddlers. “Presently most of the cases are ending in acquittal,” Mr. Menon said.
Arrests made by city police some time ago revealed that among the drug consumers included some doctors and medical students of a medical college and hospital of repute in Mangaluru.
Former Deputy Superintendent of Police Harishchandra said that there have been many communal murders in the twin districts under the influence of drugs. “Earlier murder accused were indulging in crime under the influence of alcohol, but now its being done under influence of cannabis and antidepressant drugs,” he said.
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