Source of tranquillizers to be tracked

April 26, 2014 11:31 am | Updated May 21, 2016 01:31 pm IST - Kozhikode:

To zero in on the source of illegal tranquillizer supply, the Drugs Control Department (DCD) has begun a separate probe into a latest incident in which a 53-year-old man was caught by police for trading ‘Nitravet’, a commonly used drug for insomnia, near the Government General Hospital premises.

Though the police just closed the file after recording his arrest, the plan of the DCD now was to trace all the sources from where the man got the medicine and distributed it to students and other clients.

The move came as part of a recent attempt of the department to team up with the police to trace the illegal channel and those working undercover for the illegal drug supply.

In the latest case, the DCD delegated one of its Zonal Drug Inspectors to check the whereabouts of the accused.

Posed as psychiatrist

In the initial police investigation, it was found that C.V. Shamsudheen, the arrested person, had pretended as a psychiatrist.

According to the police, he was even skilled to prescribe medicines and tactfully get it though the medical shops.

“The illicit trade of tranquillizer drugs fetches huge profit. The demand is high, as pharmacists will not supply the product without the prescription of a registered medical practitioner,” said a Civil Police Officer.

In the latest case, the accused managed to mint Rs.50 for a ‘Nitravet’ tablet, he revealed.

A senior officer attached to the intelligence of wing of DCD in Kozhikode said fresh cases related to the unlawful trade of tranquillizers would be checked by the department.

As per the recent reports of the DCD, some of the medical shops located at Mangalore in Karnataka were suspected of having involvement in the bulk supply of tranquillizers to Kerala clients.

Sources said four of such medical shops were under the surveillance of the DCD.

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