Drug mafia poses major law and order challenge in Gurugram

Piyush OhrieGurugram: The law and order challenge posed by drug mafia in Haryana can be gauged from the fact that in 2017 over 2,000 criminals involved in the crime of drug trafficking were arrested. The issue was also raised by senior leaders in the recently held budget session of Haryana legislative assembly. Being the richest district of the state, the drug mafia along with illegal liquor trade is now posing a major law and order challenge to law enforcement officials.

Not only are the officials from Gurugram police but now even the special task force (STF) has been roped in to curb the drug mafia in the city. According to sources, most of the big criminal gangs that are operating in the city are now shifting their focus from illegal land deals, extortion to transportation and supply of drugs. While Synthetic drugs like Ganja, Sulfa are in high demand other substances like charas, opium and heroin are also gaining popularity. Most of these drugs are coming from areas of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. However, to expand the base, the drug mafia has also begun procuring the substances from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh.

The vulnerable groups that may fall prey to these groups are the youngsters and migrant labourers in the urbanised villages.

The dangers were exposed last year when a 26-year-old lost his life due to drug overdose in Wazirabad village near Sector-57. After his death, the villagers protested, highlighting that how synthetic drugs were being openly sold in an area that is surrounded by poshest areas of the city.

In the past, there have also been reports of synthetic drugs being supplied to prisoners in Bhondsi jail. On March 6 in two separate cases, the Gurugram police seized 366 kilograms of Ganja in Pataudi and Sector-5. Last year, the Gurugram police were successful in capturing 480 kilograms of Ganja that was being transported in the truck along with the construction materials.

"We have increased patrolling around the areas where we feel drugs can be transported. Our officials are also on the ground keeping a vigil on the supply of drugs taking place," said a senior police official from Gurugram police.