Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, Jan 11: The supply of ganja has been rampant in the coastal belt for several years. At the same time it has been challenging to unearth the drug mafia in the district as this district is also an educational hub and close to theKerala border.
On Wednesday, January 11, nine of them were arrested including a doctor and a few medical students for possessing and consuming ganja. Police had detained the peddlers and consumers in the past couple of years.
In 2015, only 16.65 kilos of ganja was seized and 70 of them were arrested but in 2016 the cops managed to seize 109.23 kilos and nab 306 people and in 2017 another 100.51 kilos of banned substance was seized and 398 of them were arrested. The ganja issue in Mangaluru hit limelight in 2013 after a 18-year-old girl committed suicide owing to drug abuse.
In the year 2021, 200 kilos of ganja was seized which was being transported from Andhra Pradesh. Even in 2023 three cases of ganja when the banned substance was being transported from Vishakapatnam city to Mangaluru.
Ganja consumption also allegedly led to a murder in the region in July 2017. Around 10 people were consuming ganja in an old house at Vamanjoor and later got into a clash in intoxicated state, which ended up in the murder of Pawan Raj.
In October 2017, in a major crackdown, 21 youth were booked for peddling ganja and its consumption at Pacchanady and Neermarga all aged between 22 years to 30 years.
On Wednesday, among the 9 arrested which included students and doctors, seven were in the age group of 22 years and 28 years. These incidents highlighted how the youngsters were falling prey to drug addiction.
NDPS cases in 2022
In the year 2022, 398 cases and 511 persons were arrested under NDPS Act. Among the 398 cases, 363 cases were for consumption and 35 cases for the possession of the drug. Among the 511 arrested, 425 were for consumption and 86 for its possession.
In 2022, huge quantity of drugs was seized from the arrested persons, Drugs like ganja, MDMA, opium and Methamphetamine were seized.
192.408 kilos of ganja was seized worth Rs 37,68,120.
586 grams of MDMA worth Rs 19,50,160.
67 grams of opium worth Rs 7,000
57 grams Methamphetamine worth Rs 2,34,000
NDPS cases in 2023 (till January 10)
It is just 11 days in 2023. Mangaluru Police have managed to arrest 7 persons in 7 NDPS cases out of which 4 of them for possession and 3 cases for consumption.
4 kilos of ganja worth Rs 90,000
15 grams MDMA worth Rs 60,000
8 grams, Methamphetamine worth Rs 40,000.