BENGALURU: The city police have intensified their crackdown on drug abusers. Earlier, they had limited the number of cases booked for drug abuse but are now registering more cases as part of efforts to curb the menace. Vigilance has been stepped up at courier centres, and dog squads are being deployed to detect drugs.
A senior police officer said that about a year ago, the city police had stopped booking cases against drug users, focusing instead on gathering information about peddlers. This approach treated abusers as victims rather than offenders. However, users with previous criminal records continued to be booked.
The officer noted that drug abusers are booked under Section 27B of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, which carries a fine of ₹10,000 or imprisonment of up to six months.
Speaking to TNIE, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime-2) Raja Imam Kasim P said that operations against drug abusers have been intensified. Raids are being conducted at courier offices, and luggage from interstate buses is being checked with the help of dog squads. Synthetic drugs, he pointed out, are difficult to detect as they are odourless and tasteless.
Kasim added that the police recently met officials from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Customs to coordinate efforts. Police are also tracking foreign nationals suspected of involvement in peddling.
Another officer said that most drugs are sourced from Delhi and transported to Bengaluru through various channels. Recently, the West Division police, along with sniffer dog squads, inspected vehicles and bus stands, including interstate buses, to curb drug smuggling.