Warning drug peddlers and drug consumers of stern action, including invoking Goonda (Karnataka Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Gamblers, Goondas) Act against them, Police Commissioner Vikash Kumar Vikash on Monday asked those dealing with narcotic and psychotropic substances to stay away from it.
Talking to reporters after speaking to 90 of the 180 persons accused in cases registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act here, Mr. Vikash said that every police station in the city was regularly conducting parade of those allegedly involved in communal incidents and drug peddling. Drug addiction has affected youth and the police was trying to make the youth understand the need to stay away from drug abuse.
“Due to certain circumstances, we have intensified our action,” he said. With students from different parts of the country studying in educational institutions in Dakshina Kannada, Mr. Vikash said that the police are trying to curtail sale and consumption of narcotic drugs in a big way. “Today’s rowdy parade is to warn those involved in drug peddling and sourcing narcotic drugs,” he said. Of the 90 persons in the parade on Monday, six were students, he added.
Apart from invoking Goonda Act against such people and externing repeated offenders, the police was contemplating seizing property acquired through illegal means. Of the four proposals for invoking Goonda Act sent so far, the Advisory Board, comprising High Court judges, has approved one proposal.
As Mangaluru was well connected, Mr. Vikash said, narcotic and psychotropic substances were coming from Kerala and Goa and also from distant places in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. “We also do not rule out supply from abroad,” he said.
Apart from the seizure of cannabis, the police have seized synthetic and other narcotic drugs. In the last eight months, the police have booked 20 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of which 10 were registered in the last two months.
The police was in touch with Kerala and other State police agencies and were catching those involved in inter-State supply of narcotic drugs. The police was ready to provide medical and other necessary aid for the accused who want to reform, Mr. Vikash said.