Drugs mafia thrives as demand goes up

Kozhikode: A ganja seller  who was released from Marad jail a week ago was nabbed by excise sleuths from the city suburbs while he was  selling ganja to college students on Saturday. 

According to  excise officials, the drug mafia in the district has been  gaining ground  with the demand for ganja increasing among youngsters between the age group of 14 and 28.

In the last three months, over  30 kilograms of ganja and tobacco products was seized from drug peddlers   in and around the district.

There has been a   steep rise in the number of cases registered under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS).  In September  and  November alone, nearly 57 NDPS cases were  registered, including minor cases, besides those booked  by the excise department.  

Excise  inspector Gireesh Babu said, “earlier, it was thought that migrant labourers were  bringing such products to the district to sell among their co-workers.”  But as per statistics,  such products are mainly brought to the city targeting the youngsters, specially the college and school students.  

“We have been organizing campaigns  and awareness programmes highlighting the ill-effects of such products, but the youngsters are yet to understand  their seriousness,”  he pointed out.

Ganja comes  to the district through the border routes and dried ganja is sold for between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 a kilogram.  The price doubles when it reaches the market in Kozhikode, he said.   

The police have arrested more than 30 persons in connection with  ganja cases and the shadow police are  on a  mission to track more such gangs.