Data released by the Delhi Police on Thursday show that the amount of Ganja (maijuana) recovered in 2017 reduced by 47% compared to the previous year. The police said the reason for this dip is that the amount of the drug being pumped into the city has reduced due to low demand, despite being a popular drug.
According to the data, the amount of marijuana recovered in 2017 was 2,415.97 kg and the amount of the drug recovered in 2016 was 4,629 kg. Ganja remained the only drug in which the recovery by the force has seen a downward trend. As for the other drugs like heroin, cocaine, charas, poppy straw, ketamine and meow-meow, the recovery has increased by upto 825%.
Addictive substances
In 2016, the amount of poppy straw recovered was 600 kg and this shot up to 5,550 kg in 2017. Similarly the percentage increase of heroin and charas also stood at 108% and 97% respectively.
Delhi Police Public Relations Officer Madhur Verma said the amount of ganja that makes its way into the city has seen a fall. “Going by the trends, lesser amount of marijuana is coming into the city. The demand seems to be decreasing and people are consuming more addictive drugs like heroin and cocaine,” he said.
Supply from Odisha
A senior police officer, who has busted several drug rackets, said that one of the reasons for reduction in recovery is that in the last two-three years, majority of drug peddlers and suppliers of marijuana have been arrested. “It must be understood that the suppliers of marijuana belong to low social strata of society. They’re not running international syndicates like those supplying heroin, cocaine or MDMA. Mostly, marijuana is supplied from Odisha and once majority of the top ones running the racket are arrested, it’s difficult for them to revive,” he said. He added that marijuana has a certain acceptability in the country despite its possession being an offence.
Stating another reason, Mr. Verma said that the force’s priority is chemical-based narcotics which are more harmful like heroin, ketamine and meow-meow. Ganja comes in at number two on the priority list. “I think if the seizure is less, it shows that the amount of marijuana coming into the city is not much. It could be because of strict checking as well because action has been taken against those running small shops and selling the drug,” he said.
