Representative image of drugs.
Credit: iStock Photo
Mangaluru: The Mangaluru city police have registered a total of 1,090 drug-related crime cases in 2024.
The police have seized a total of 191.073 kg ganja worth Rs 77,12,870, 100 gm cannabis (charas) worth Rs 5 lakh, 20 ml ganja ash oil worth Rs 8,000, eight gm of hydrovid ganja worth Rs 80,000, 7.305 kg of MDMA worth Rs 6,59,54,260, 43 units of LSD worth Rs 1.08 lakh, 39 gm of Methamphetamine worth Rs 1.39 lakh, 81 gm of cocaine worth Rs 6.62 lakh and 8 gm of Methaqualone worth Rs 6,000.
Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal said that synthetic drug seizures saw a 314 per cent rise, value of drugs seized surged by 339 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023, reflecting the higher value of synthetic drugs confiscated and 45 per cent more arrests were made this year including three Nigerians who were operating as major players in drug supply chain in the city commissionerate limits.
Over the past three years (2022-2024), a total of 216 drug peddling cases were registered: 34 cases in 2022, 94 cases in 2023, and 88 cases in 2024.
The Ullal police station registered the most peddling cases this year, with 10 cases. Regarding drug consumption cases, a total of 1,984 cases were reported between 2022 and 2024.
This comprises of 363 cases in 2022, 619 cases in 2023, and 1,002 cases in 2024. Among the consumption cases, 94 each were registered in Ullal and Kavoor police station limits, and 93 in Mangaluru North police station limits.
The commissioner said that more cases were booked in consumption hotspots falling within Ullal, Mangaluru North, Kankanady Town, and Konaje police station limits. The consumption cases increased by 62 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023.
Explaining the arrests, the commissioner stated that 2,818 Indians and 11 foreigners were apprehended in three years. Among Indians, 508 were arrested in 2022, 942 in 2023, and 1,368 in 2024 and as foreign nationals, one arrest was made in 2022, six in 2023, and four in 2024.
Agrawal said that in a special operation conducted, the district jail in Mangaluru was searched on July 25, and 29 mobile phones, among other contraband items, were seized.
A surprise drug test was held on July 27, and 120 prisoners were tested after taking court permission, of which 40 tested positive. Meanwhile, stricter action was taken against repeat offenders (peddlers), and three people were booked under the Goonda Act.
Externment orders were executed against 28 people, 123 were bonded over, and 18 cases for bond forfeiture were registered. Further, 53.658 kg of ganja worth Rs 13.59 lakh was destroyed as per court orders.
The city police organised 212 awareness programmes across the city, targeting schools, colleges, and vulnerable communities.