PANAJI
Goa police face an escalating challenge as the crackdown on banned substances stretches beyond narcotics to vapes, e-cigarettes and nicotine products, which are reportedly seeping into quite a few educational institutions despite a pan-India ban.
Confronted with disturbing reports of drug use among some students and a growing market for ‘safe alternatives,’ official sources confirmed to 'The Goan' that they are combining aggressive crackdowns with awareness campaigns against both supply and demand.
The drug use among students, with one case at BITS Pilani where a blood sample of a deceased student confirmed the presence of narcotics, has pushed the police to work more closely with schools, colleges and the Education Department.
Director General of Police Alok Kumar, in a recent interview on Prudent’s 'Head On', said the force is pursuing a “zero tolerance” approach, under clear instructions from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to deal with offenders with a heavy hand.
Arrests, seizures and inter-agency coordination
Over the past five years, 775 people have been arrested in drug-related cases, including 190 last year and 45 so far this year. The department has been seizing 200-250 kg of narcotics annually, with a major consignment of cocaine from Thailand intercepted this year before it reached the streets.
The DGP claimed that they are coordinating with multiple agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate, Financial Intelligence Unit, Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Bureau, as well as police forces from other states, such as Telangana, to dismantle trafficking networks.
Within the State, narcotics coordination meetings and a special focus on campuses are underway. “Besides enforcement, police units have conducted over 500 awareness programmes, most of them in schools and colleges, to sensitise students and parents. We are working on both sides “ supply and demand. We have broken several links in the chain and are working on 2,250 suspects,” he said.
Emerging threats: Vapes and nicotine
But the threat is no longer limited to narcotics, as senior officers, on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that e-cigarettes, vapes and other tobacco products are easily accessible to youth.
“Some students and youths have easy access to banned substances and if not inside their campuses, then at select spots outside. We are aware that students are openly discussing it within their circles or with those they confide in. Our police teams are cracking down on smoking cigarettes, but the bigger challenge is nabbing the suppliers of these so-called trendy substances,” a source said, adding, “We have some leads and are working on it.”
Police stations and local intelligence personnel have been directed to step up checks on kiosks and shops frequented by students, with stricter crackdowns following recent incidents.
The concern has also been flagged nationally, as two months ago, a group called Mothers Against Vaping petitioned the Union Health Ministry, warning that nicotine pouches could become the next gateway to addiction.
“We already face a battle with shops selling cigarettes and gutka within the prohibited radius of schools. Now, with new banned substances making their way into the Goan market, challenges for police are even higher. We are nonetheless working in close coordination with agencies to ensure these do not become a nuisance like drug abuse,” another officer, closely coordinating with Goa’s counterparts, stated.
In Delhi, the Lieutenant Governor directed educational institutions to set up “no-tobacco zones” and drug-free clubs, a model that the Goa police are reportedly studying for implementation in the State.
