THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The data obtained from the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) from 2016 to 2022 January shows the state is turning into a hub of drug dealers as well as consumers. The data includes the details of seizures of nearly 19 types of drugs in the past six years. Of them, ganja is most prominent, said RTI activist M K Haridas from Kochi, who received the details. A total of 20,631.69 kg of ganja was seized during this period.
Last year, around 4,394.74 kg of ganja was seized, according to the details. Pills and capsules follow ganja in seizures. Nearly 20,204 capsules and pills were seized during the period. A total of 45,854 cases were registered from 2016 to 2022. A total of 26,373 people were arrested in the state for drug dealing and among them, 48,559 were men and 79 were women.
The most number of arrests were made in 2019 — 9,783. According to the officials in the excise department, ganja will cost up to Rs 25,000 per kg in the market. In that case, the total seizure will have a value up to Rs 51.57 crore.
