HYDERABAD: While there are always exceptions to the rule, the types of drugs consumed vary from locality to locality in the city, say senior police officials. For example, in areas like Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills, which are more upmarket, addicts prefer ‘high-end’ and costlier drugs like cocaine and heroin, ganja is most used in slums, and the homeless resort to using the cheapest forms of intoxicants like sniffing whitener.
“Drug trends within the tri-commissionerate limits follow a pattern; most of the arrests made by Rachakonda police have to do with ganja smuggling while Cyberabad is a mix of both ganja and other psychotropic drugs. Hyderabad on the other hand deals with close to equal quantities of both such drugs,” said a senior police official.
He said that being more easily available, ganja is also the preferred choice of the rich who are not full-blown addicts but just want to try narcotics for “the thrill of it”. “It is not due to the cost factor, it has to do with the availability,” the officer said.“However, the fact that Rachakonda and Cyberabad are connected with highways through which ganja is smuggled may also contribute to the seizures,” argued another senior officer.
Ganja is available in neighbouring States like Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and is smuggled in private vehicles. On the other hand, high-end drugs are very difficult to procure, and the peddlers make sure to sell them to known people.
Ganja still in demand
Ganja is also the preferred choice of the rich who are not full-blown addicts but just want to try narcotics.