‘Chitta’ smugglers making inroads into state

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 31 

As many as 500 to 700 Nigerians, mostly based in Delhi, are actively involved in smuggling of “chitta” into the state, it is learnt. 

The drug trade has increased manifold as India has become the transit route for smugglers through Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle.

The term Golden Crescent is used for main areas in Asia notorious for illicit production of opium and Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan fall under its ambit, while Golden Triangle overlaps the Southeast Asian countries, namely Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. “An increased quantity of heroin-based drugs is smuggled into European countries,” highly placed sources in intelligence agencies said.

The two Nigerians involved in “chitta” (adulterated heroin costing Rs 6,000 per gram) smuggling, arrested by the Shimla and Kullu police, made startling revelations that there were several conduits across states and drug peddlers from Himachal were procuring “chitta” from the Nevada area in Delhi from Nigerians, who had become a vital part of drug racket.

The smugglers are either not using mobile phones or jailbreaking those to hide calling numbers and as a result the original number does not figure even in card details record (CDR). Videos, Internet calls and  Whatsapp are being used for illegal deals and transactions. 

“Heroin is supplied to Punjab through Pakistan and is routed to Europe and other countries,” said former Superintendent of Narcotics Control Bureau (Chandigarh division) OP Sharma, adding that since 2003-07, he had been warning that once these packets started opening in Punjab, it would destroy the youth, which happened. Himachal is the next target now.

“Chitta”, which is almost double as compared to the recovery made during the same period last year (2.518-kg), implies that the craze for heroin-based drugs is on the rise. Cases of smuggling and use of “chitta” have been reported from Shimla, Kangra, Una, Solan, Sirmaur and Chamba. 

Dope duping lives: 700 foreigners learnt to be involved

Arrests in past six months

As many as 831 persons, including 36 women and six foreigners, have been arrested in 653 cases.

A challenge for cops

Another challenge faced by the state police is to restrict the entry of injections (contaning capsules and tablets) used for treating drug addicts. Drug peddlers in Punjab dilute these capsules and tablets with heroin. During a joint operation by the Himachal and Punjab Police in the Kangra-Pathankot belt, some facts like use of injections came to light. “Vigil along the inter-state borders has been stepped up, secret operations and raids are being conducted to ensure that no such substance sneaks into  Himachal,” said DGP SR Mardi.

What is “chitta”

Chitta is a semi-synthetic opioid, mainly derived from heroin. “It is addictive and the consumption increases with the passage of time and drug overdose can even result in death,” said Director, State Forensic Science Laboratory, Arun Sharma.