Excise dept to tighten noose around drug peddlers, users

​Hyderabad: Prohibition and Excise Department acting on reliable information is preparing to take measures to eliminate drug mafia from the city. The department recently apprehended two drug peddlers, who on interrogation, disclosed extensive information. The arrested were identified as Abdul Hammed (38) and Pranav (24).

The department is planning to issue notices to their clients and other peddlers in a week’s time following the information obtained from them. The department is also seeking court permission to analyse the mobile data of the accused which was recovered. Following the court permission, the department will form an investigation team which will issue notices and conduct required inquiries.

Based on the information acquired, the department will conduct counselling sessions for the consumers and file charge sheets against the peddlers according to the law. The Excise department officials handed over the drug peddlers to the Jubilee Hills and Ameerpet Excise stations for further enquiry.

Assistant Excise Superintendent Enforcement Officer N Anji Reddy said that as the Telangana government is keen on taking stringent action against the drug mafia in the city, the peddlers changed their ways in importing drugs from the international market.

Further explaining the exchange between the customer and peddler, he said that the use of internet is extensive in this matter. The main peddlers do not maintain any direct connections with the customers, instead they select a few people and supply drugs to them. The peddlers maintain codes and pick-up areas names on their mobiles, he added. Police identified that nearly 25 to 35 persons take drugs from Abdul Hameed and Pranav.

The consumers are likely from different walks of life mainly residing in Madhapur, Hitec city, Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills, Gachibowli and Panjagutta areas. According to the data, 80 per cent male and 20 per cent female drug users indulge in different forms of drugs, including ganja, LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide), MDMA or Ecstasy (Methylene Dioxy Methamphetamine) and cocaine.

The police with a view to curb drug menace in the city is conducting regular raids across the city limits. The users in order to escape from the police have now chosen remote arears to consume drugs. The age group 18-22 prefer ganja and 23-30 prefer drugs in different forms, according to sources. According to sources, many fall preys to drug use due to various reasons like depression, loneliness, and etc. Once they get addicted, then there is a minor chance of getting back to normal health.

Taking these compulsions into consideration, the drug mafia is earning lakhs of rupees in a month. For each gram they charge Rs 6,000. As strict vigilance is going on by the police, and extensive raids taken up by the Excise department officials the drug peddlers changed their ways to import and export the drugs.

Peddler Abdul Hameed: He migrated from Adilabad to Hyderabad and is running a travel agency in the city. During his trips to Goa, he got a contract from a person named Max, to sell drugs in Hyderabad. Max offered a margin of Rs 2,000 on each gram of cocaine sold to customers. They decided to sell each gram of cocaine to consumers for Rs 6,000.

He developed a network through some known persons and from them he is getting number of orders regularly. Excise officials nabbed him in Banjara Hills and recovered 31 grams cocaine and Rs 7 lakh in cash from his car.
Peddler Pranav: He is a graduate in Animation and is currently working for Amazon

He resides in Toli Chowki along with Nigerian roomates and his family stays in Sainikpuri. Pranav was addicted to ganja from early childhood got his fix from Dhoolpet in Old City. He ordered his drugs online by using online browsers. He was also planting ganja in his room premises. Police during interrogation found that he had sold drugs to more than 20 customers.