Drug mafia adopts novel tactics to keep Himachal police on toes

Ravinder Sood

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Palampur, June 23

A new modus operandi adopted by drug peddlers of supplying heroine (chitta) through postal parcels has left the Kangra police worried.

The Palampur police on Monday arrested two persons, Alish Katoch (20) and Mayank Sharma (23), who had received a parcel through the Bhawarna Post Office which carried heroine sent from Dwarka, Delhi. The changing ways of drug peddlers have surprised the law enforcing agencies here.

Post offices put on alert

All post offices in the district have been put on high alert and directed to be careful while delivering parcels. Besides, they have also been asked to inform the police in case any parcel is undelivered or doubtful. — Amit Sharma, DSP

Palampur DSP Amit Sharma said the police had received credible information that both the accused had ordered a Delhi-based drug supplier to provide them heroine though parcels to be delivered at their home addresses. As soon as the parcels were delivered, the police arrested both and seized the contraband. Later, it was established that the parcels were booked by a New Delhi-based drug supplier. A police team was being sent to Delhi to arrest the alleged supplier, he said.

The DSP stated that it was being ascertained as to how many such parcels of heroines they had received in the past. It was a new trend in drug peddling, which was really worrisome for the police since it would be difficult to track such parcels. Perhaps, this was the first such incident in the state.

Sharma said all post offices in the district had been put on high alert and directed to be careful while delivering parcels. Besides, they had also been asked to inform the police in case any parcel was undelivered or doubtful.

Despite best efforts of the law enforcing agencies, the drug traffickers have succeeded in spreading their tentacles in this region in a big way. Anti-social elements are reaching out to adolescents, school students and unemployed youth with different types of intoxicants, he said.

Earlier, only charas was made available to the youth in Himachal, but now, heroine was also available. In the past one year, the police have arrested a number of persons involved in this illegal trade, including women. But still, there is no let up and the situation has gone from bad to worse.