Drugs and narcotics worth Rs 62 cr seized since January 21 in Kerala

Jul 11, 2023

The department registered 30,611 narcotic and abkari cases and arrested 27,710 persons over the same period.

Published: 28th August 2023 07:28 AM | Last Updated: 28th August 2023 07:28 AM | A+A A-

Image used for representational purpose only. (Express IIlustration)

KOCHI: The excise department recovered drugs and narcotic substances worth Rs 62.02 crore between January 2021 and June 2023 in the state.The revelation by Excise Minister M B Rajesh to the assembly this month comes as the state government struggles with a spike in psychotropic abuse.

The department registered 30,611 narcotic and abkari cases and arrested 27,710 persons over the same period. As many as 2,700 persons are still absconding in various excise cases. During the period under review, police registered 45,521 narcotic and 83,775 abkari cases.

Excise officers seized 8,082.7kg of ganja worth Rs 48.5 crore. As many as 1,158 ganja plants were also confiscated. After ganja, the highest quantity of drugs seized by Excise was MDMA in the state. Besides this, 7.60kg of MDMA worth Rs 3.04 crore, 4kg of hashish worth Rs 4.04 crore and 459.6g of hashish oil costing Rs 4.59 lakh in the market were seized by the department. It also got hold of 6.1kg of LSD valued at Rs 2.15 lakh, 109 LSD stamps worth Rs 2.18 lakh, 240g of brown sugar worth Rs 6.01 lakh, 3.4kg of methamphetamine worth Rs 1.35 crores and 1.39kg of heroin worth Rs 34.85 lakh.

It recovered 1,787 highly potent drug tablets and 10 drug ampules. Other narcotic substances like opium, opium poppy, magic and mushroom, and cocaine were recovered in low quantities. The department also got hold of 57,082 litres of illicit liquor worth Rs 5.70 crore over the same period. According to senior officers, the quantity of drugs such as MDMA, LSD, hashish and hashish oil seized has witnessed a sharp rise in the last two to three years. “The quantity of ganja has remained stable for the past some years. The most concerning is seizure of MDMA,” he said.

There has been an increase in the flow of drugs to Kochi city and its suburbs. According to Ernakulam excise deputy commissioner B Tennymon, drug cases have been on the rise in the district. “Kochi and nearby towns have large floating populations. Most concerning is the rising illegal sale and abuse of synthetic drugs,” he said.

According to Tennymon, enforcement activities also have increased to curtail illegal activities. “This month alone we carried out 1,144 raids at various parts of the district. As many as 112 abkari cases and 84 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act cases were registered. Apart from enforcement activities, we join hands with police, coastal police, railway authorities, forest department and revenue department to keep such substances off the streets. We have a focused plan for the district,” he added.