252kg of methamphetamine worth Rs 150 crore seized in Andamans in 5 months, 69 held: DGP

Port Blair: Andaman and Nicobar Islands police has seized 252kg of methamphetamine, a recreational drug, worth Rs 150 crore and arrested 69 people over the last five months.

Police also seized 1kg cocaine worth nearly Rs 10 crore, marijuana (49kg), cannabis plants (3kg), 497 bottles of cough syrup and 583 tablets of anti-anxiety tablets alprazolam worth around Rs 50,000 in the black market during the period.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands DGP Devesh Chandra Srivastva said, "Police are doing their best to make the island drug-free. We have adopted a zero tolerance policy against narcotics as per the directives of the Union home minister and the results are encouraging." "We are carrying out drug awareness campaigns. We will not spare any drug peddlers. All credit to my officers and personnel on the ground for leaving no stones unturned for a bright future of the youth here and we are receiving full public support," he added.

After Srivastva took charge as the DGP in June, he set up a task force led by SP, CID, Rajeev Ranjan to eradicate the drug menace from the island.

On the seizure of over 250kg methamphetamine over a period of five months from June to November, a senior police officer said, "The first instance of recovery of methamphetamine, popularly known as meth, in the high seas was reported by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on September 19, 2019, when a suspicious vessel was detected in the Car Nicobar Islands which was supposedly going from Myanmar to Malaysia. When the boat was intercepted by the ICG, the crew threw some gunny bags allegedly containing the contraband into the sea." He said, "Consequently, 1,524kg of meth was seized in two cases registered under relevant sections of NDPS Act, which were transferred to the Narcotics Control Bureau, Kolkata Zone. Since then, A&N Police has also seized large quantities of unclaimed meth from the sea shores of various parts of the islands." He added, "It is suspected that the entire consignment could not be seized and some of it remained undetected in the high seas. Some local anti-social elements got hold of this contraband which drifted towards seashores and the same still continues to be circulated in the islands." PTI SN SN MNB