BENGALURU: A week-long operation by Bengaluru City Police led to the arrest of 179 drug peddlers and 1,038 drug consumers and seized various drugs worth Rs 8.19 crore.
The police conducted extensive surveillance between February 1 and 7 to prevent the misuse of legal establishments for storage, transportation or sale of narcotics, and to curb drug trafficking, consumption or related criminal activities. During this period, the police inspected 287 chemical factories, 1,503 godowns, 2,164 medical shops, 384 travel agencies and other establishments. They also verified 3,227 rowdy sheets and 572 accused booked under the NDPS Act.
In a joint operation, sleuths of the Anti-Narcotics Wing and the Organised Crime Wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB), along with police from the South, Southwest, West and North divisions, arrested 21 drug peddlers, including five from other states, in separate cases and seized various narcotics worth Rs 2.8 crore.
The police also arrested 1,038 drug abusers and registered 839 cases against them. The police seized 278.35 kg of ganja, 8.8 kg of hydro ganja, 509 tablets, 238 strips of narcotic substances and 2.4 kg of synthetic drugs, collectively valued at Rs 8.19 crore. 109 NDPS cases were registered and 197 drug peddlers arrested.
The police have appealed to the public to actively cooperate and share information if they come across drug peddling activities or any clues related to the manufacture of drugs, sheds or storage units.
Such information can be reported to 1908, 112 or the nearest police station.