Pubdate: Sun, 08 Feb 2009
Source: Times of India, The (India)
Copyright: Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 2009
Contact:  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/453

COCAINE COULD BE BREAKING INTO CITY PARTY CIRCUIT

CHENNAI: Cocaine, an expensive illicit drug, has always  had a 
presence in elite partying circles worldwide. In  Chennai, there has 
been no noticeable use of the drug  among party-goers, some of whom 
make do with ketamine  (a synthetic general anaesthetic that is 
extensively  used in veterinary medicine).

However, the arrest of two Nigerians, who were found to  be in 
possession of the drug, in the city a few days  ago has revealed that 
cocaine could be finding favour  among rich party-goers in Chennai, 
especially as the  drug, routed through African countries, is not 
difficult to source here.

The profitability of the business can be gauged from  the fact that 
while a gram of cocaine sells in Chennai  for anywhere between Rs 
3,500 and Rs 4,000, the same  quantity is procured from countries in 
Africa for just  Rs 40-50. "Several star hotels have their own 
security  set-up to restrict the drug from getting into the hands  of 
party-goers. This is the second seizure of the drug  after the arrest 
of a Kenyan student in 2008," a senior  officer of the Narcotics 
Control Bureau (NCB) said.

Although 21 grams of cocaine were seized from the  arrested 
Nigerians, Lovely Johnson (25) and Jeffri  (24), 10 days ago, their 
confession has shocked the  local police as well as NCB officials. 
The Nigerians, who were arrested from a lodge in Periamedu, 
claimed  that they were operating at the lower end of a  distribution network.

"The heads (of the network) are operating from African  countries to 
help smuggle the drugs out, using  sophisticated methods. Though we 
are preventing several  consignments from entering India, the 
smugglers are  using new techniques for transporting the material. If 
we receive a tip-off about drugs being smuggled in a  particular 
flight, we act immediately and nab the  culprit. This is apart from 
the preventive steps being  taken by the airport customs and 
directorate of revenue  intelligence (DRI)," a senior NCB official told TOI.

In July 2008, NCB officials had seized 15 grams of  cocaine from a 
Kenyan student. The agency had also  seized 10 kg heroin and drugs 
such as ganja. Since  ketamine does not fall under the Narcotic Drugs 
and  Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, NCB officials  cannot 
intercept anyone possessing it. "We know there  is abuse of ketamine 
but we cannot seize the drug as it  does not come under the NDPS Act. 
As far as we know,  the ministry is taking efforts to include 
ketamine in  the Schedule I drug list," another senior NCB official  said.

Strangely, it was a tip-off from a woman, herself  addicted to 
cocaine, that led the Chennai police to the  Nigerians. "We have kept 
her movements under  surveillance," an NCB official said.
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