Police tighten vigil on drug routes as capital gears up for New Year

As the national capital is gearing up for New Year celebrations, Delhi police officers have tightened their belts to keep a tab on the vulnerable routes through which drugs and hooch make their way into Delhi.

Delhiites are known to party hard on the New Year eve from pubs and discotheques to individual homes. Rave parties, music concerts arranged by various event managers in Delhi-NCR turn into hubs for youths in large numbers as the party fever takes over. Huge amounts of drugs and alcohol are consumed at these parties.

Police have caught several people involved both in the consumption and distribution of drugs and spurious liquor at such events red-handed in the past. Sources in the Crime Branch said, ‘The party pills including LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide) tablets are commonly used drugs in these parties. They are in high demand by drug addicts who often visit such places to party. Also, a high number of first time users of LSD and party pills can be seen at such events.’

A senior police officer in Delhi police Special Cell said, ‘One of the sources of drugs such as Ephedrine, Actifin tablets, Phenobarbital, Acetic Anhydride and Chemical Powder in Delhi is Afghanistan — the main junction of drug manufacturers. The route taken by peddles passes through Pakistan and from the border areas the drug reaches Punjab and then it lands in Delhi.’

The consignment of drugs is then divided into smaller parts to minimize the loss in case of being caught. From Delhi, the smaller consignments, each weighing around three-seven kg, is distributed to other metro cities including Mumbai. ‘The price of these drugs shoots up during December because of an exponential increase in demand because of the party season,’ the source said. The source went on to say that the since the demand for liquor also goes up around December end, various mafias start supplying hooch in the market. Consumers use it without being able to verify the quality of the liquor. 

But drugs also find other ways of reaching Delhi. For example, Pseudoephedrine is produced in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and the raw product is then distributed to the drug peddlers in Delhi and north-eastern states.

To make party pills, the raw drug is smuggled into Myanmar. Once the party pills are ready for consumption, they are smuggled back into India and other  neighbouring countries including European and south Asian countries.

Sources said, ‘Several traps have been laid in the vulnerable areas, including Delhi borders, to curb the distribution of the drugs and hooch liquor.’