Ahead of New Year’s Eve, the Bengaluru City Police have launched a special drive to curb drug use during parties and revelry.
Over the last week, the city police have rounded up hundreds of known peddlers and raided their houses to check for narcotics and possible leads on deals being brokered ahead of New Year’s Eve. All known peddlers with a history of cases under the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act, of 1985, have been summoned by the jurisdictional police and questioned over their recent activities. Paying guest accommodations, employees with private companies who have been booked earlier for similar offences have been summoned and instructed to inform the police if they come across any instances of drug sale and usage, a police officer part of the drive said.
“We have launched a special drive since last week and jurisdictional police have rounded up peddlers for questioning and searched their houses,” City Police Commissioner B. Dayananda said. According to him, the CCB Anti Narcotics Wing carried out raids in many places and booked two cases which included the seizure of ₹21 crore worth of heroin and MDMA. “It is one of the biggest raids so far in the year,” he said. This cache of narcotics was being stashed for New Year’s Eve.
A senior police official said that the target given was to make New Year revelry drug-free and police have activated local intelligence and informer networks to look out for parties, gatherings, and drug usage. Police have also stepped up vigil at entry and exit points and at railway stations, bus stands, and airport and courier companies to check for smuggling.
The police are also coordinating with the Excise Department and wine stores to keep a tab on bulk purchases. “This could also give us a lead on possible rave parties,” a police official said. The police on the outskirts of the city are coordinating with the villagers and people living in and around farmhouses to keep a tab on crowds visiting the farmhouses.
Pubs told to take contact info of visitors
The police have also directed pubs, bars and restaurants to keep a log book to record the details of the visitors and guests on New Year’s Eve. The details with an ID card number to check their age and contact number to contact them in case of any eventualities have to be logged, police have said. The managements have been asked to cross-check the contact number of the visitors before allowing them to enter the premises to avoid getting the wrong numbers.
