Delhi Police destroys over 10,000 kg of narcotic items

Delhi Police destroyed over 10,600 kg of narcotics worth ₹1,682 crore in a campaign against drug trafficking, emphasizing zero tolerance and community awareness.

The Delhi Police on Tuesday destroyed more than 10,600 kilograms of different kinds of narcotic substances confiscated in a series of raids as part of its month-long campaign against drug trafficking, officers said. The exercise was carried out at a special event held at a bio-waste incinerator in Jahangirpuri.

LG VK Saxena, along with Delhi Police commissioner Sanjay Arora, destroys narcotics at a facility in Jahangirpuri in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

Lieutenant governor VK Saxena was the chief guest at the event, where he hailed the police’s efforts to rid the city of drugs and associated criminal activities.

“This drug destruction event will serve as a powerful statement against the proliferation and abuse of narcotics in the city. By safely disposing of confiscated drugs, we aim to raise awareness and send a clear message of zero tolerance towards illicit substances. Our objectives behind these drives are educating the public on the dangers of drug abuse and the importance of community cooperation in curbing this issue, besides reinforcing trust in law enforcement and showcasing accountability in handling seized substances,” Saxena said.

According to police, the destroyed contraband was worth ₹1,682 crore in the international market.

Multiple police teams, in collaboration with other government departments, have been carrying out crackdowns since December 1 as part of a three-year target set to make the Capital drug-free. Raids were conducted at 200 hostels and as many schools, shops, and bars and restaurants, and 50 colleges across the city, besides random checks on auto and taxi drivers.

Saxena said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah, the Delhi Police is committed to waging a war against narcotics and implementing a zero-tolerance policy towards drug-related crimes. He also lauded the efforts made by Delhi Police chief Sanjay Arora in the seizures.

“We’ve also announced cash rewards for general public for providing information on drug trafficking with the assurance of keeping the name secret and emphasized mass awareness through print, social media, radio, and public transport platforms. This fight against drugs abuse is not against users, but against the drug traffickers,” he added.

At the event, special commissioner of police (crime) Devesh Chandra Srivastava said till December 15 this year, a total of 1,714 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act have been registered in Delhi, resulting in the arrest of 2,169 drug traffickers.

“Financial investigations have led to the seizure of assets worth approximately ₹3.13 crore, with an additional ₹3 crore of assets in the final stages of forfeiture,” he said. He added that committees were formed to oversee the destruction of drugs seized from traffickers.

“Our ongoing month-long pilot project, that began on December 1, aims to destroy approximately 6,370.7 kilograms of narcotics related to crime branch. This includes cannabis (3,498.8 kg), hashish (188 kg), heroin (219 kg), cocaine (1.3 kg), LSD (13 grams), MDMA (92 grams), poppy straw (1,635 kg), doda post (418 kg), ketamine (1 kg), besides 13,975 narcotic injections, and 152 kilograms of other psychotropic substances valuing nearly ₹1,182 crore,” Srivastava added.