International Day against Drug Abuse and Trafficking: Drugs worth `41.7 cr burnt

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Continuing their war against drugs, the city police destroyed narcotics substances worth Rs 41.7 crore seized in various drug-related cases in the city on Wednesday while observing the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking.

According to Police Commissioner B Dayananda, various types of drugs worth R s 41,73,22,900 were seized in cases registered between February 10 and June 10 this year in the city.

These drugs were taken to a facility in Nelamangala taluk near Dabaspet Industrial Area and were incinerated in the presence of senior officials as a part of the anti-drug trafficking campaign.

The Bengaluru police who have been continuously monitoring drug peddling, conducted various operations and arrested several people involved in the drug racket.

Huge quantities of drugs seized during these operations included contraband items such as ganja, charas, cocaine, MDMA powder and crystals apart from others. Addressing the gathering at Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, Home Minister G Parameshwara said drug abuse is a serious crime that threatens the fabric of the society.

He reiterated that the state government will ensure that Bengaluru does not become a hub for the trade of narcotics. Karnataka Director General and Inspector General of Police Alok Mohan said, "We’re fighting a war against drugs for the welfare of people. The destroyed drugs were seized during police crackdowns on peddlers and trafficking cartels. On this day, we’ve gathered to destroy those seized drugs, and we use this occasion to spread awareness about the bad effects of drugs.”

In the month of February, the Karnataka police destroyed 5,835.51 kgs of drugs worth Rs 42.15 crore at a facility near the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board in Bengaluru Rural limits.

As per the NDPS Act, the state police had also shifted 15 kgs of opium worth Rs 17 crore to another facility in Ghazipur for incineration. Dayananda sought the support of the general public to eradicate drug addiction from the city.

"The police are constantly making efforts to track down and dismantle networks pushing synthetic drugs. Recently, this has been more challenging due to the usage of the darknet and advanced techniques used by peddlers," he added.