Excise cops seize heroin worth ` 1 cr in Udupi

 The Udupi district Excise Department has seized a kilogram of heroin worth Rs 1 crore as per the market value and have detained two drug peddlers in a private hotel in Hemmadi in Kundapur.

Speaking to the media persons, Udupi District Excise DC George Pinto said that the peddlers were into the dealing of heroin in the private hotel room number 201 in Hemmadi.

The accused who were involved in the transaction deal are Sudhir Hedge Karvikeri (29) from Kundapur and Diwakar Narayan Devadiga (39) from Shirali in Bhatkal. The drug was supposed to be delivered to places like Manipal, Gokarna and Goa making Kundapur as the centre.

They are booked under Narcotic Drugs Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 section 17 C and 22C. He added that they were into the deal with Timoti Louis alias Johnson Melwin Louis from Irodi village in Udupi district.

The key player Louis had masterminded the entire transaction deal and is now absconding owing to information leak over the department’s plan to trap him on his way from Bangalore to Mangalore. He had also assured the duo that he would supply additional five kilograms of heroin in the days to come, he added.

Asserting that this is the big catch that the department including police department had in the district, the Excise DC said that both the departments were not able to nab the drug deal worth Rs 1 crore and is the highest amount that has been seized till date in the district. Besides, three mobile sets have been seized from the accused. The heroin is tested by the department to confirm the purity through the kit that is offered by the State Narcotics Bureau. Samples will be sent to the three different laboratories in the state and the major content of seized heroin will be handed over to the District Sessions Judge.

Interrogation is being done as to ascertain over how many are involved and also the probable future dealings.

Drug trafficking is rampant in the areas like Manipal and Mangalore where students are found in large numbers. The student deaths that are taking place in Malpe and also in Manipal is suspected to be the result of drug addiction. However, the cause is yet to be unearthed, he said.

“We have implemented stringent measures especially in Manipal. We have spoken to Manipal University authorities over the issue and have also sought their assistance in tackling the menace. Besides, we have ordered the shutdown of all the pubs and bars by 11.30 pm. It is absolutely the result of cosmopolitan culture. However, no departments have exact number of deaths caused owing to the addiction of drugs,” he said.

He added the heroin is the byproduct of opium that has its core production centre in PoK and Pakistan. It is a sophisticated synthetic drug.