COCAINE COULD BE BREAKING INTO CITY PARTY CIRCUIT

CHENNAI: Cocaine, an expensive illicit drug, has always had a
presence in elite partying circles worldwide. In Chennai, there has
been no noticeable use of the drug among party-goers, some of whom
make do with ketamine (a synthetic general anaesthetic that is
extensively used in veterinary medicine).

However, the arrest of two Nigerians, who were found to be in
possession of the drug, in the city a few days ago has revealed that
cocaine could be finding favour among rich party-goers in Chennai,
especially as the drug, routed through African countries, is not
difficult to source here.

The profitability of the business can be gauged from the fact that
while a gram of cocaine sells in Chennai for anywhere between Rs
3,500 and Rs 4,000, the same quantity is procured from countries in
Africa for just Rs 40-50. "Several star hotels have their own
security set-up to restrict the drug from getting into the hands of
party-goers. This is the second seizure of the drug after the arrest
of a Kenyan student in 2008," a senior officer of the Narcotics
Control Bureau (NCB) said.

Although 21 grams of cocaine were seized from the arrested
Nigerians, Lovely Johnson (25) and Jeffri (24), 10 days ago, their
confession has shocked the local police as well as NCB officials.
The Nigerians, who were arrested from a lodge in Periamedu,
claimed that they were operating at the lower end of a distribution network.

"The heads (of the network) are operating from African countries to
help smuggle the drugs out, using sophisticated methods. Though we
are preventing several consignments from entering India, the
smugglers are using new techniques for transporting the material. If
we receive a tip-off about drugs being smuggled in a particular
flight, we act immediately and nab the culprit. This is apart from
the preventive steps being taken by the airport customs and
directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI)," a senior NCB official told TOI.

In July 2008, NCB officials had seized 15 grams of cocaine from a
Kenyan student. The agency had also seized 10 kg heroin and drugs
such as ganja. Since ketamine does not fall under the Narcotic Drugs
and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, NCB officials cannot
intercept anyone possessing it. "We know there is abuse of ketamine
but we cannot seize the drug as it does not come under the NDPS Act.
As far as we know, the ministry is taking efforts to include
ketamine in the Schedule I drug list," another senior NCB official said.

Strangely, it was a tip-off from a woman, herself addicted to
cocaine, that led the Chennai police to the Nigerians. "We have kept
her movements under surveillance," an NCB official said.