The drug menace appears to be growing in Karnataka as 1,652 cases were booked in 2019 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. In 2017, there were over 600 cases. These statistics were furnished to the Legislative Assembly by Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai while replying to Congress MLA K.J. George during Question Hour.
The Minister said drugs were being obtained through the dark web, but the State police had managed to break the backbone of the drug network. He added that the police had “declared a war” on the drug menace.
“The Police Department is set to launch a mega campaign against the drug menace in April to create awareness,” the Minister said, while declaring that the State had “zero tolerance” on the matter. He called upon parents, teachers and owners of educational institutions to take a keen interest in the campaign.
He also expressed concern about the growing trend of getting drugs through the postal department. There have been instances of drugs being obtained through ordinary posts from foreign countries, he said, while pointing out that four postal department staff were arrested in this connection recently.
Mr. Bommai also said synthetic drugs have become a cause for concern of late as biscuits and chocolates were being laced with them. He said he has directed the police to maintain a strict vigil against drug menace, especially near educational institutions and roadside shops.
Keeping vigil
In addition to CCB sleuths, Pink Hoysala teams are also being used to curb the menace. Every district has one police station to exclusively deal with the drug menace, he said, adding that as many as eight such stations were set up recently in Bengaluru. The cargo section in the international airport in Devanahalli is being checked every day by dog squads to detect drug arrivals, the Minister said.
