HC advisory board upholds booking drug peddlers under NDPS Act

The high court advisory board has upheld the decision of the city police to book drug peddlers under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT NDPS) Act, 1988.

Under the Act, repeat drug peddlers can be jailed for one year, a provision similar to the Gooda Act.

For the first time, the city police booked Nigerian national Makuko Chukwuka Muolokwu alias Henry alias Miracle Chukwuk (37) under the PIT NDPS Act after he was arrested in the city in March for peddling drugs.

Following city police commissioner's order, he was taken to preventive detention and remanded in judicial custody.

Makuko has been living in the city since 2016 and sold cocaine, ganja, MDMA and other drugs in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts. He has five cases against him in Banaswadi, Kothanur, Konanakunte and Avalahalli police stations. Out on bail, he again got involved in drugs peddling, targeting youths and college-going students.

To stop him from peddling drugs, the police implemented the Act, which the high court advisory board has upheld. Now, this can be applied in other parts of the districts and neighbouring states.