It’s a tough fight with narcotics for police and district officials in Dakshina Kannada Premium

A few days ago, the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) in Mangaluru submitted a report to the city police stating that 108 kg of chocolates recently seized by the police from two places, including a petty shop, in the central district area of the city, were laced with cannabis (ganja).

A few days ago, the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) in Mangaluru submitted a report to the city police stating that 108 kg of chocolates recently seized by the police from two places, including a petty shop, in the central district area of the city, were laced with cannabis (ganja).

The chocolates had been seized from Manohar Shet, 49, a resident of V.T. Road, and Bechan Sonkar, 45, a native of Goshi Tehsil of Uttar Pradesh, who had been arrested under provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act on charges of unauthorised possession and selling of ganja. They were produced before the jurisdiction magistrate, who remanded the two to 14 days of judicial custody.

Ganja-laced chocolates seem to be the new substance that the youth in Mangaluru city have got addicted to. It’s during the ongoing counselling of drug consumers, being held as part of “Free Dakshina Kannada of drugs” campaign, that the city police got information about sale of ganja-laced chocolates.

After raiding several shops and other establishments, the city police seized ₹5,500 worth chocolates from the petty shop of Sonkar in Falnir in the city. These chocolates were being sold across the counter as ‘Mahashakti Munakka’, ‘Bum Bum Munakka Vati’, ‘Power Munakka Vati’, and ‘Anand Choorna’. Later the police seized 12,592 ganja chocolates from the shop of Shet on Car Street. Having booked the two shop owners for food adulteration, the city police sought the report of RFSL to confirm the presence of ganja in chocolates. Though they were initially referred to as “bhang chocolates” the police on RFSL analysis found the substance to be ganja.

Since June, the city police took up the ‘Drug-free Mangaluru’ drive. The drive gained strength and Dakshina Kannada district administration too joined hands following the call by Home Minister G. Parameshwara asking district administrations of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi to free the two coastal districts from drugs and addictive substances. “There should not be any sale of drugs post August 15,” Mr. Parameshwara set an ambitious task for the police and district administration following review meetings in Mangaluru and Udupi on June 6.

Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan said a good number of students from different parts of the country study in over eight medical colleges, other para-medical colleges, and a host of other institutions of repute in the district.

“Because of the sheer scale of students studying in the education institutions, there is an increase in the consumption base of drugs. As the demand for drugs is more, its availability is high,” he said and added there is a perception that narcotic drugs sale and consumption is high in Dakshina Kannada. While stating that a complete end to sale and consumption is difficult. Mr. Muhilan said the district administration is working towards a comprehensive approach where the demand for drugs is curtailed by choice. “Police and district administration are working as one unit for this cause,” Mr. Jain said.