Cops: 40 schools in dist under drug mafia radar

Thiruvananthapuram: Schools in the city and rural limits of the district have become the target of drug mafia in recent times. A report by the police department has found that the students of about 40 schools in the district are under the radar of the drug mafia.
Five schools from Attingal and two schools from Varkala were listed in red zones in the report. Apart from this, some schools from Pettah, Sreekaryam, Vanchiyoor, Thumba, Nemom etc are also mentioned in the list.
“It is a serious issue, which needs immediate attention. On the basis of the report, we have arranged shadow teams at schools to monitor the activities of the drug mafia. The students who were found to have used drugs are given counselling and those who need treatment have been transferred for de-addiction to our centre at Neyyattinkara. Treatment and counselling for them are being provided and special awareness drives are also being held at schools,” said Vinod Kumar, assistant excise commissioner.
The report which has been handed over to the excise department includes names of schools, the people, shops, and institutions that are suspected of supplying drugs through various ways to the schools. It says coffee shops and other street vendors near the schools work on behalf of the drug mafia. Ganja and MDMA are being supplied in huge quantities through these middlemen.
The report stated that during counselling, some students revealed that they were even abused under the influence of substances several times. The more worrying factor is that even girl students are involved in the drug menace. The district excise department has intensified measures on war-footing to address the issue.
Officers have been individually given the responsibility of each school and they are in touch with student leaders and school authorities.
The mafia has even lured students to work as agents to ensure uninterrupted supply inside schools. The report says schools at Nemom, Karamana and Thumpa have students who work as agents of the mafia. The drug is supplied to students in small packets, costing from Rs 200 to Rs 500. The agents communicate with students on WhatsApp and there are secret zones at schools where drugs can be kept, and it will be collected later by the needy, the report states.