THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The anti-narcotics department has warned that the city is becoming a hub for synthetic drugs. Reports claim there is increased patronage for high-end contraband like MDMA.
In the last 10 days, the city police have seized 39 grams of MDMA and arrested four people who were allegedly peddling the drug. “MDMA is far worse than ganja when it comes to its effects on adults,” said Deputy Commissioner Vaibhav Saxena.
He added that despite the cost, MDMA is increasingly being used by the middle class. “They are very expensive drugs and cost almost 10 times than ganja,” he said. The officer said one of the city residents, who had just completed his nursing studies in Bengaluru, was the first to be caught for selling the drug recently. The man brought the stuff from Nigerians and Sudanese in Bengaluru and sold it to his clients in Thiruvananthapuram at a higher rate.
“He used to get a gram of MDMA for Rs 2,000-3,000 and sold it to his clients here for Rs 8,000 per gram. The huge profit lures them into the trade. The drug seized was meant for a rave party,” Vaibhav said. By tracking the phone calls of the accused, the police nabbed the rest of the members of the racket later.
Vaibhav said the anti-narcotics drive got a shot in the arm after 11 officers were added to the existing team. “After attaching experts to the team, the operations have yielded good results,” he said. “We are following the leads and leave no stone unturned in tightening the screws on drug peddlers,” he added.The city police have also been utilising information provided by citizens. “The public is also chipping in with leads. But we crack down based only on actionable tip-offs,” Vaibhav added.