The police have strengthened the presence of its Shadow police wing in the city with a mission to curb the trade of narcotic substances and banned pan masala products. The service of 60 police officers has been made available to the Shadow wing as part of the new mission.
Speaking to media persons here on Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner of Police D. Sali said the initiative was taken with the aim of making the city free from the menace of illicit-drug dealers. Surveillance would be tightened, especially near educational institutions, he said.
Mr. Sali said the involvement of migrant workers in such cases was emerging as a tough task for the police. “Though we have enough reasons to take prompt legal action, humanitarian issues often come as a hurdle,” he said.
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To begin with, the City police in association with the Malabar Hospital will organise a public seminar at the Collectorate on May 29. District Collector N. Prasanth and a panel of doctors from the hospital will address the programme, which is organised as part of the district-level anti-tobacco day observance.
Mr. Sali said similar awareness programmes would be organised in the city in the coming days as part of sensitizing people to the ill-effects of tobacco use. “As the product is yet to be banned by the government, we will be able to fight the issue only though frequent awareness programmes,” he said.