Over the time, Pune has also become the base for peddlers; 522 gm drug seized as compared to 48 gm last year
If statistics of the anti-narcotics of Pune police are any indication then the city is seeing a huge surge in consumption of the costly drug cocaine. Known to be a drug consumed by the elite class and foreigners, the supply of cocaine has increased in the city ten times more than the previous years. Police consider this to be an alarming trend.
Investigators have claimed that the supply of cocaine was not less in the past, but the scenario has been changed presently as number of consumers have increased in the city.
According to the crime branch statistics, 2013 is the year in which large quantity of cocaine has been recovered from drug peddlers. Nearly 522 gram cocaine was seized, which is ten times more than that the 48 gram seized in 2012.
Senior police inspector Sunil Tambe, who is in-charge of the Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) said, “The supply of cocaine has increased drastically in the city. Initially, the peddlers used to supply less quantity as the demand was less. Now, we suspect that the demand for cocaine is increased and hence the peddlers are supplying cocaine more in the city.”
According to Tambe, the foreigners who are studying in the colleges are the main target of the peddlers. Some of the foreigners have even established links with the international cocaine traders.
“There are a few cases where foreigners are used as middlemen for carrying cocaine to Goa and Delhi from Latin American countries like Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. The consignment is further transported to other Indian cities and even to other countries through courier services in Pune,” Tambe said.
The cost of 1 kg cocaine in the Indian market is 1 crore and 10 crore in the international market. “We have arrested a few peddlers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar who had come to Pune for some works and got involved in cocaine supply. From Pune, the peddlers supply cocaine to Mumbai and other cities in the country.”
Rapid poison
Year seizure (gram) worth (in Rs)
2011 23 2.88 lakh
2012 48 7.68 lakh
2013 522 53.03 lakh
Source - Anti Narcotics Cell of Pune crime branch
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