The seizure of 2 kg of cocaine points at a budding market in Gujarat for this dangerous drug.
After cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Pune, it was Ahmedabad's turn. The seizure of 2 kg of cocaine points at a budding market in Gujarat for this dangerous drug. Cocaine is popular among the swish set, celebrities and high-flying professionals, for whom it is but pleasurable indulgence.
Former narcotics officer Monish Bhalla said the seizure was biggest, in his memories, in India's recent past. "Cocaine is used by people in metropolitan cities, and by the wealthy in Gujarat," he said.
Officials of the Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) refused to comment on the receivers of the cocaine which was seized. But sources claim that a major portion of it was meant for the city of Ahmedabad and the rest would have been routed to Mumbai and Delhi. A source said that a large amount of cocaine was believed to have landed at Mumbai port and was being sent from there to other Indian cities.
"Only the richest among the rich an afford cocaine, which costs around Rs10,000 per gm," Bhalla said.
ATS inspector-general Ajay Tomar told reporters that cocaine, mainly cultivated in South America, must have been imported from there to India. "It is an international market," he said.
Cop's revolver lost and foundThe operation to nab the drug peddlers began at 9 pm on Friday. As the police closed in on the five, there was a scuffle during which PSI Digvijaysinh Chudasma's revolver fell on the ground; one of the criminals tried to flee with it. Three of the drug peddlers were then arrested. "The remaining two were arrested with the help of the Bhavnagar police late on Friday," a source in the Bhavnagar police said. The revolver was later found near a farmhouse on Saturday.
Bhavnagar cops called for helpThe Bhavnagar police were called in to help the anti-terrorist squad (ATS) officials after they were attacked by village residents. "When the plainclothes policemen nabbed the drug peddlers, the village people thought they were attacking some of them and rushed to their rescue. The villagers started hitting the cops, who then called the local police for help," a source said. The Bhavnagar police nabbed another of the accused, Imran Kalavatar, on Saturday and seized 1 kg of cocaine from him.
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