KOCHI: As narcotic seizures are rising in city, excise department has launched coordinated efforts with various state and Central agencies to put a tab on the growing menace. The excise is coordinating with state police, customs and Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) in intelligence gathering and joint operations to nab drug peddlers.
Last year alone the highest number of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act cases registered in state was in Ernakulam district. As many as 540 NDPS cases were registered by excise department in the district in 2021.
“Excise department has only limited manpower and infrastructure compared to police. So we are coordinating with police to collect information. In recent years, there has been an increase in peddling of synthetic drugs in Kochi. With coordinated efforts, we can put a tab on the flow of drugs to the city,” an excise official said.
It was following information given by Customs that excise seized LSD stamps from Foreign Post Office in Kochi and arrested three persons on Monday. Customs Preventive Commissionerate has already carried out several joint operations with excise department.
The seizure of over one kg of MDMA from a serviced apartment in Vazhakala and seizure of 56 grams of MDMA from a hotel in Edappally were the result of joint operation by Customs Preventive Commissionerate and excise.