HYDERABAD: To curb the drug menace and the use of non-duty paid liquor, the excise police will deploy a total of 42 teams on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1. They will coordinate with the police and the Telangana Anti Narcotics Bureau (TGANB).
Meanwhile, the government has extended the closing time of liquor shops until 12 a.m. and bars and pubs until 1 a.m. on December 31.
Excise officials said their teams will conduct checks at pubs, bars, and other public places using the latest technology. In a related development, TGANB, in collaboration with Cyberabad police, conducted a high-tech operation in Madhapur late on Sunday.
A special team of 22 officers, including DSPs from the State Task Force, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda Narcotics police stations, was formed immediately. The team used a combination of information networks, intelligence inputs, electronic surveillance, physical surveillance, and spotters trained to identify individuals displaying signs of drug consumption.
Using this coordinated approach, the team identified 25 potential drug users. Of these, 14 were subjected to advanced drug testing. The tests revealed that eight tested positive for substances such as THC (found in ganja), cocaine, amphetamine, and methamphetamine.
Internationally acclaimed German DJ Ben Bohmer and his team were among those subjected to the testing process and were cleared of drug use.