NARCOTICS CELL NEEDS REHAB

ONE in-charge superintendent of police, one inspector, one sub-inspector,
four constables and an office without a signboard near Red Hills - that's
the staff strength of the Narcotics Cell. Although the cell will shift to a
new swanky office - with a signboard of course - near Lakdi-ka-pul after
two months, the state of affairs needs a makeover. The state has sent a
detailed proposal to the central government asking for more resources and
staff. But like everything else, this proposal is lying in the cans.
Talking to the cops, everything looks hunky dory in the state, but the
number of cases related to drug trafficking (mostly ganja), have peaked in
the last couple of years. While in 2000 it was 271, in 2001 the number
touched 675. A whopping 1,119 such cases were registered in 2002.

Additional director general of police Mahendra Kumawat, on asked about the
cell, says, "We have sent a proposal to the central government regarding
the need for more resources. Heroin and opium are yet to create problems in
AP. We get cases mostly related to trafficking and selling of ganja. If we
have more resources at our disposal, we will do more work." But taking a
look at the National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics' study of the
seizure of narcotics drugs in South India by all enforcement agencies, it
seems that trafficking of precursor drugs or psychotropic substances might
create problems for the state in the future. The study clearly shows a
quantum jump in the illicit trafficking of precursor drugs. While in 2002,
only 27 kg of ephedrine was seized, this year so far, the figure has
touched two and a half tonnes.

Even in the two recent cases handled by the state Narcotics Cell, where the
accused were convicted just a couple of days ago, it has been proved that
the criminals were carrying Mandrake tablets and Codeine Phosphate -
substances that were rarely found earlier. Cops admit that Hyderabad
sometimes acts as a transit point for drug consignments meant for Uttar
Pradesh and Nepal.

"Most of the drugs that we seized here were meant for other parts of the
country. AP is the link between South and North. But, the problem is not
acute here. The metros are more vulnerable. So sometimes, drugs meant for
UP and Nepal go through the state. But whenever we get a tip off, we
conduct raids. The influx of foreign tourists is also not much," says M
Nago Rao, superintendent of police (administration) and in-charge of
Narcotics Cell.