KOCHI: The Excise department is clueless on checking the rampant rave parties across the district due to the absolute secrecy surrounding these drug-induced gatherings. Synthetic drugs such as MDMA, LSD stamps, Nitrazepam tablets, Lorazepam tablets, hashish oil and heroin are the main substances being supplied at these parties.
Excise Ernakulam Division, Assistant Commissioner T A Ashok Kumar, says rave parties are operated very secretively by the organisers hence it is a Herculean task for the Excise sleuths to pick them up.
“We busted a few persons recently after a tip-off. As there are no complaints in this regard the Excise is suo motu acting upon these cases,” he added.
According to the officers, the organisers rely upon WhatsApp and other social media platforms for conducting such drug parties in Kochi and its suburbs. “They use code names to conceal their identities while communicating,” an officer said.
The authorities had a breakthrough when they arrested Ajaz, a native of Pukkattupady, who used to organize bachelor drug parties on weekends and holidays. But Ajaz is not cooperating in the interrogation.”He is not revealing the route of the drug inflow to Kochi and gave us only the codenames of the co-accused,” the officer said.
The data of the enforcement activities of the department during the last three months--February, March and April-- show a steady inflow of high-end drugs to the district. 50.742 kg ganja, 555 Nitrazepam tablets, 0.57gm LSD, 137gm heroin oil and 127 gm hashish oil were recovered during this period. A total of 236 NDPS cases and 254 persons were arrested in drug peddling cases in the district.
In Aluva Excise Range itself, four persons were arrested this month and 312 Nitrazepam tablets were seized from them.
“We will identify the youths who fell prey to the drug mafia and initiate steps to bring them before the counselling centre of the Excise Department in Kochi and the de-addiction centre at Muvattupuzha”, said Excise Aluva Range Inspector T K Gopi.
“The alarming thing is that youth are getting attracted to these parties. It is happening in Kerala where youths are educated and come from good social background,” said, Ashok Kumar. He added that Excise provides counselling and treatment to those required.