Peddlers found selling drugs through quacks, chemist shops

Gurugram: The recent raid by the food and the drug administration revealed a dangerous trend of how drug peddlers are now using the route of quacks and unlicensed medical shops to sell the psychotropic drugs. Large amounts of drugs namely Diphenoxylate and Tramadol that are used as opioid substances and Nitrazepam and Pitocin that are used as muscle relaxants were seized from the shops.

Other substances that are abused include Alprax, Diazepam, Corex is some of the other drugs that mostly abused by the patients.

Senior officials are now zeroing in on more such shops that may be selling the drugs. Their task is difficult owing to the fact that a large number of unregistered clinics and medical shops have sprouted in and around Gurugram. An RTI report last year had revealed that there are over 224 clinics that are unregistered and operated by quacks. Moreover, the information did not reveal the number of clinics that are based in Gurugram city.

With the crackdown by officials on these clinics, now most of the medical shops and small groceries retail stores are being selected by the drug mafia to sell psychotropic as well as synthetic drugs. Being the richest district of the state, the drug mafia along with illegal liquor trade is now posing a major law & order challenge to law enforcement officials.

Not only the officials from Gurugram police but now even the special task force (STF) has become involved in curbing the drug mafia in the city. According to sources, most of the 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 forms like charas, opium and heroin are also gaining popularity. Most of these drugs are coming from areas of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.