E-Paper
12 more sniffer dogs for HP squad in fight against drugs
Infamous for cannabis and opium trade over the last decade, the state, over the last few years, has seen a a spike in smuggling of a synthetic drug, in particular ‘chitta’, a white powdery substance containing high quantity of heroin
In the wake of a spurt in synthetic drug smuggling in the state, the police have decided to add one dozen more dogs to its squad.
Infamous for cannabis and opium trade over the last decade, the state, over the last few years, has seen a a spike in smuggling of a synthetic drug, in particular ‘chitta’, a white powdery substance containing high quantity of heroin. Poppy is still largely cultivated across Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Kinnaur, Sirmour, Chamba and Kangra district. The isolated dense forests of Kullu valley still are a huge attraction for narco smugglers. Drug trade found roots in the valley when hippes in the late seventies lived in the forest areas promoting high quality charas or hashish which sill is famous world over and high in demand.
“We are running a state wide campaign to apprehend drug smugglers. Now, we have proposed to increase the number of dog in our squad,” said inspector general of police ( intelligence and security) Diljit Singh Thakur. “The proposal is to purchase 12 sniffer dogs, each of which will cost about Rs25,000,” he said.
HP’S DOG SQUAD
The hilly state has one of the oldest dog squads in the country, with the first dog squad raised in 1957. A German shepherd named Hero was the first dog inducted in the squad, and was imported at a cost of 250 pounds from Germany. Raja Bajrang Bahadur Singh Bhadri, who was governor of HP from 1955 to 1963 took keen interest in raising a dog squad. The current squad, which is stationed in Junga , comprises 24 dogs including German shepherds, labradors, retrievers, dobermans and cocker spaniels. Two dogs are also deployed in security of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama who fled Lhasa in 1959.
SPURT IN CHITTA SMUGGLING
With a spurt in synthetic drug smuggling in the state last year, cases under Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 increased by 7.2% in 2019 as compared to 2018. A total of 1,439 cases under Act were registered across the state, against 19,25 persons detained of which 12 were foreigners. In 2018, 1342 cases were registered against 1722 persons.
As much as 327.2 kg charas, 17.05 kg poppy, 1306.7 kg poppy straw, 21.3 kg hashish , 857 gms heroin and 150 gms charas was seized.
Apart from it 26,927 poppy plants, 54,077 cannabis plants, 19964 banned tablets, 102716 capsules, 9848 syrups and 12 injections were seized during several raids . Synthetic drugs are smuggled into Himachal mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
To curb drug trade a bi-annual inter-state conference on ‘Drug Menace-Challenges. Strategies’ was held in Haryana in 2018 in which CMs of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttrakhand, Delhi and Chandigarh took part. During the meeting, a secretariat was set up in Panchkula to chalk out a strategy and share intelligence on drug peddlers.
Apart from this, other steps have been taken against the menace. Campaigns are held regularly to destroy cannabis and poppy plantation and better coordination has been developed with neighboring states for a joint strategy to tackle the menace.
