GUWAHATI, Nov 6 - Proving all awareness programmes meaningless, substance abuse is increasing at a rapid rate in the city. Even amid the lockdown-hit economic condition when every businessman is going through a very tough time, the city is turning into a haven for illicit drug trading. The fact came to light in the data about arrest of drug peddlers and seizures of drugs and narcotic substances by the Crime Branch of Guwahati Police.
From January to October of the current year, authorities seized 111.872 kg of ganja, 920.66 grams of brown sugar, 681.97 grams of heroin, 12,508 bottles of illegal cough syrup, 102.875 grams of suspected drug powder, 2,176 psychotropic tablets, 60,000 drug tablets, 1,950 Alprazolam tablets and 240 bottles of Cefrex syrup from different locations of the city. During the period, the Crime Branch arrested as many as 154 drug peddlers and registered 84 cases against them. Along with drugs, the police also seized cash amounting to Rs 85,72,610 from their possession.
In January, the Crime Branch seized 51.400 kg of ganja and arrested ten persons in different search operations carried out in Guwahati. In connection with those seizures altogether five cases had been registered with the Crime Branch.
In February, the Crime Branch arrested as many as 22 drug peddlers and seized 41.200 kg of ganja, 86.62 grams of heroin and 64.89 grams of brown sugar from their possession. The number of cases registered against drug peddlers during the month was 12.
In March, altogether 20 drug peddlers were arrested by the Crime Branch under 12 different cases. From their possession, the police recovered a total of 16.59 grams of brown sugar, 2.88 kg of ganja, 1.49 grams of heroin, 1,319 bottles of Spas Tran Can Plus and RTX Care cough syrup and eleven bottles of RC cough syrup.
Amid the lockdown in April, the Crime Branch had conducted searches in a number of locations and arrested altogether 15 drug peddlers, besides seizing 13.38 grams of brown sugar, 2.45 kg of ganja, 2,000 WY tablets, 300 bottles of Phenerex cough syrup, 710 bottles of Rbrexx cough syrup, 298 bottles of Wmrex cough syrup and 2.95 grams of heroin. In connection with the seizures, the police had registered altogether nine cases against the drug peddlers.
Similarly in May, the Crime Branch recovered 2.200 kg of ganja, 38.96 grams of brown sugar, 18.37 grams of heroin, 1,090 bottles of cough syrup and 28.490 grams of suspected drug powder from the possession of 18 drug peddlers and registered nine cases against them.
In the month of June, a total of 14 drug peddlers were arrested by the Crime Branch. Altogether 14.17 grams of heroin, 4,000 bottles of Chlorpheniramine Maleate syrup, 6.62 grams of suspected drug powder, 176 Nexa Spavar tablets and 1.340 kg of ganja along with cash amounting to Rs 2,76,220 were seized from their possession.
In July, the Crime Branch seized 78.23 grams of heroin from the possession of nine peddlers along with Rs 76,61,370 cash and registered altogether four cases against them.
In August, the number of arrests again increased to 17 and police seized 148.45 grams of heroin, 25.53 grams of brown sugar and 135 milligrams of suspected drug powder from those arrested. During that month cash amounting to Rs 3,90,230 had also been seized by the police from the possession of drug peddlers.
In September, the Crime Branch arrested 20 drug peddlers and seized 814 grams of brown sugar, 2.75 grams of heroin, 7.702 kg of ganja, 4,780 bottles of cough syrup and 67.63 grams of suspected drug powder along with Rs 2,42,320. Altogether 11 cases were registered against drug peddlers during that month.
Last month, 12.2 grams of brown sugar, 128 grams of heroin, 2,700 kg of ganja, 240 bottles of Cefrex syrup, 60,000 drug tablets and 1,950 Alprazolam tablets along with Rs 2,470 were seized by the Crime Branch from the possession of nine drug peddlers.
