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Shimla police crackdown on peddlers: 128 held in a month, 70 addicts sent to rehab
In the last four weeks, Shimla police have launched a massive drive against drug peddlers, says superintendent of police Sanjeev Gandhi
In a bid to break the well-oiled supply chain of narcotics, especially adulterated heroin (chitta), Shimla police had last month launched a crackdown on drug peddlers and have so far arrested 128 persons involved in the illicit trade.
“In the last four weeks, Shimla police have launched a massive drive against drug peddlers. We have registered cases against 128 persons, 80 of whom were involved in smuggling of chitta,” said Shimla superintendent of police Sanjeev Gandhi.
“The police registered the first 100 cases in just 23 days,” he said, adding that during their operation, a money trail of ₹55 lakh was also detected.
During the police investigation, backward linkages were established and the sleuths found interstate links. “The main supplier was found to be having deep links with drug peddlers of the Shimla region. We caught 15 suppliers, who were connected to this individual interstate supplier. These all suppliers are now in the police custody,” Gandhi said.
Subdivisional police officer from Rampur Bushahr, Chander Shekhar, said the smugglers used online platforms make financial transactions.
The police also sent 70 addicts to rehabilitation centres and have tied up with the psychiatry department of the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital for their treatment. “The number of patients in the psychiatry OPD is increasing. We counsel the parents and relatives of the addicts,” said Dinesh Dutt Sharma, head of the psychiatry department.
‘Chitta’ seizure increased four times since 2018: Data
According to the police records, seizure of ‘chitta’ has increased four times in Shimla since 2018.
Data sourced from the police department shows that while 930 grams of ‘chitta’ were seized in 2018, 3.846kg of contraband was impounded in 2022.
Total 157 cases were registered and 250 people arrested in 2022, while the number of FIRs in 2018 was 63 and arrests were 85.
About 2.1kg of ‘chitta’ was seized and 163 drug peddlers were nabbed in 2019, while 1.29kg of contraband was recovered with the arrest of 175 people in 2020. The next year, 1.77kg of contraband was seized, 120 cases were registered and 211 people arrested, police records reveal.
Among the 250 people arrested in Shimla district last year, 201 hailed from Himachal (166 from Shimla, 12 from Mandi, 11 from Kullu, three from Solan, four from Kinnaur, two from Kangra and one each from Sirmaur, Hamirpur and Bilaspur). As many as 206 out of 250 people arrested in ‘chitta’ cases were in the age group of 18 to 35 years, the police data shows.
Meanwhile, with the Kullu emerging as a hub of drug trade, primarily charas, in Himachal its superintendent of police Sakshi Verma said, “We will leave no stone unturned to curb the illicit drug trafficking in the district and strict action will be taken against the offenders.”
“No one will be spared if found involved in the drug trade,” she added.
