Police launch ‘Drug-free Karnataka’ app to detect peddlers and ganja farmers in the state

The app also offers information about the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, including details on penalties for drug-related offences.

To curb the drug menace in the state, the Karnataka Police has launched an app called ‘Drug-Free Karnataka’ to locate and identify ganja farmers and drug peddlers in the state. The app is available on the Google Play Store, and through this app, common people can be police informers.

The public can easily report drug-related activities by downloading the app on their mobile phones and submitting information in either English or Kannada.(HT File Photo)

According to reports, when people find an individual consuming, transporting, peddling, growing or cooking narcotic substances, they can immediately alert police through the app. The public can easily report drug-related activities by downloading the app on their mobile phones and submitting information in either English or Kannada.

The reported location details will be forwarded to local police, including Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) in commissionerates like Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Kalaburagi, Belagavi, Hubballi, and Mysuru, Superintendents of Police (SPs) in districts, and other relevant supervisory authorities. Upon receiving the information, the designated officer will verify its authenticity and coordinate a raid if necessary.

The app also offers information about the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, including details on penalties for drug-related offences.

Ahead of New Year celebrations, Bengaluru Police are already conducting checks on various consignments coming to the city from various parts of the country. The CCB officials have also checked the offices of many courier agencies in Bengaluru to detect drugs that could be transported to the tech capital.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said that the government is serious about the drug menace in the state. Earlier, he said, “Drugs worth ₹250 crore have been seized and destroyed in Bengaluru over the past year. People from other countries are involved in peddling. They have been arrested and deported, and many peddlers have been booked under the Goondas Act. In some cases, police were compelled to resort to shootings. If needed, cops will use force to stop drug usage in the state.”