Drug rackets pile up contraband fearing prolonged lockdown

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The rise in Covid cases and the presentiment that the country might once again head towards a protracted lockdown are prompting the drug rackets to increasingly push in contraband from the neighbouring state so as to jack up the prices in case the inter-state borders get closed, according to the state police. 

The police came to this conclusion after seizing 150 kg ganja from a group of three people, including two Tamil Nadu natives, on Tuesday. Thiruvananthapuram city police said the racket was responsible for supplying drugs to the wholesale dealers in the southern districts of the state.

Thiruvananthapuram Deputy Police Commissioner Vaibhav Saxena said the ganja was stored inside a sewage pipe lying in a vacant piece of land in the city and was intended to be sold to the dealers at a higher price during lockdown. “The seized contraband was purchased for a price of `80 lakh and was intended to be sold at double the rate to dealers,” Saxena said.

Another police officer said the trio were planning to sell off the entire contraband within three to seven days which clearly suggested that there was a soaring demand for the narcotic. Sources said there were two reasons behind pumping of contraband to the state in the midst of Covid crisis. Firstly, the police and other enforcement agencies will be occupied with Covid-related activities that the drug racket felt it would be easy to smuggle in the drugs.

Secondly, if severe restrictions were imposed as part of a full-fledged lockdown, then the availability of drugs will come down and the demand would go up. “Last time when the nation-wide lockdown came into force abruptly, the rackets could not smuggle in drugs to the state well in advance, and hence the prices went high as the supply lines were disrupted. This time they are anticipating a similar situation and are piling up stocks,” police said.Meanwhile, the police said they have intensified vehicle checks after it emerged that goods carriers were being used to smuggle the contraband.