KOZHIKODE: The recent revelation of the Excise Department is that all the major catches of narcotic products reported from the city during the last one month were through the city’s prominent Government, aided and unaided schools. According to Excise and Narcotic officials, the recent three major catches that provided links to the city’s prominent drug peddlers were as a result of information from schools.
Police came to know about the penetration of the interstate drug racket working in and around schools, after teachers started giving information to the department following the seizures of such narcotic products from the students.
“It is indeed a shocking revelation that schools are turning out to be a major source for us to track down drug peddlers. Very recently three such big catches reported from the city were following information we got from schools or the students”, said A.J. Babu Assistant Commissioner, Narcotic Department.
“Initially the drug is gifted to these children but when they get addicted, the drug suppliers charge a huge sum from these kids. This is how kids or students get addicted to such products and become major carriers for their friends,” he added. Ganja in small packets hare been seized from the students which they usually smoke, he added. Drug candies which are considered as the cheapest among the drug products have also started coming back to the schools. These drugs look like pop rocks - a type of sweet that fizzles in the mouth, according to reports.
The excise and narcotic department have warned parents, teachers and students about the comeback of these drug trends and the vulnerability of their kids. These candies are made out of methamphetamine which is an extremely addictive stimulant drug that takes the form of a white, odourless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder. It can be taken orally, smoked, snorted, or dissolved in water or alcohol and injected, he explained. Sources from where the students get these candies have also been revealed in the recent raids.
Drug abuse around educational institutions is rampant, according to officials. While the police booked more than 15 cases of drug abuse around schools and colleges in 2016, the numbers shot up to more than 20 in 2017. And with just a month into 2018, the police have already booked over two cases of drug abuse and arrested several drug-peddlers.
