KOCHI: As Kerala is battling with a rising number of narcotic cases, enforcement agencies are concerned that new kinds of drugs are getting into the hands of more youngsters these days. Some of these new narcotic substances are being smuggled across international borders and sold here at a very high price.
Recently, Ernakulam Excise Intelligence wing nabbed two persons from Assam who were peddling China White synthetic heroin. In the interrogation, the accused confessed that they have a handful of customers for the rare drug. They told Excise officials that peddlers travel to Assam and bring the drug by train. “It is a kind of heroin that is new here. The persons we arrested told us that they procured it from Assam where it is easily available. We suspect that the contraband is smuggled into India from Bangladesh and Myanmar amd has hit rave parties organised in the city. Possessing 5g of the drug is a non-bailable offence,” Ernakulam assistant excise officer B Tennymon said.
Tennymon said peddlers keep on introducing new drugs to make money and retain their regular customers. Earlier drugs like MDMA and LSD were never heard of in Kochi. Now these drugs are being seized on a daily basis. Recently, excise arrested a peddler who was selling LSD drugs in ampoule form (meant for injecting into the body). “We have to be alert about new drugs as they are becoming popular among drug abusers here. It was the first time, we found LSD in ampoule form. Usually, LSD- laced stamps are placed under the tongue by abusers. Once rare in the city, drugs like heroin and cocaine are being seized frequently now,” he said.
G Sreekumar Menon, former director general at the National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics and currently working as a consultant with the United Nations Office of Drug Control said that, of late, LSD in ampoule form is the rage among abusers. As far as China White is concerned, it is the same as heroin. The only thing is that it is known by a different name.
“The LSD in ampoule form is injected into the body to get a sudden kick. As the shot enters blood directly, its effect is high. Such a mode of drug abuse is found across the globe now. The drugs come from the porous borders of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Often migrant workers coming from north-eastern states bring the contraband to Kerala for reaping huge profits,” he said.
Tennymon said that the drugs have life-threatening side effects. These drugs can lead to critical diseases affecting the lungs, heart and kidneys. Other than enforcement activities, excise is also on the path to providing awareness regarding the legal and biological consequences of using these narcotic substances. “We conduct awareness programmes in schools, colleges and other educational institutions where we give a clear message about the impact of these drugs on the human body. Also, we tell them about the legal consequences if a person is arrested with evening a small quantity of any narcotic substances,” he said.