Pics: Abhijith N Kolpe

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Nov 6: ACP south sub division police and anti-rowdy squad arrested four drug peddlers from Thokkottu in the city on November 5 and seized 10 kg of ganja from them, informed police commissioner Dr P S Harsha.

Addressing media here on Wednesday, November 6, Police commissioner Dr P S Harsha said, "All the arrested accused are residents of Manjeshwar in the district of Kasargod in Kerala state. They are identified as Abubakkar Samad (24), Mohammed Asraf (30), Mohammed Afrid (22) and Mohammed Arshad (18).

Police also confiscated a car bearing Maharashtra registration number, a two-wheeler and three mobile phones from the arrested. “We have also contacted Mumbai police as there is some possibility of these peddlers having link in Maharashtra as car seized was bearing Maharashtra registration number,” said Dr P S Harsha.

Operation was carried out from ACP south sub division inspector T Kodandarama, ASI Mohan K V, Head constable Sunil Kumar, Girish, Ravichandra, Rajaram, Dayanand, Damodar, Mohammed Sharif, Mahesh and Mohammed Iqbal.

Dr Harsha also said, "There is rise in drug menace in the city. So we have formed teams to trace the drug peddlers and operations have been carried out to tackle the menace in the city. We have conducted detailed investigation with the help of our technical teams and managed to arrest four drug peddlers. Earlier we were reaching towards small level of drug peddlers but now we are tracing big fishes who supply these drugs.

“From the last three months, we have been appealing to educational institutions to co-operate with the police and conduct checking in their hostels and campus of educational institutions. If educational institutions fail to co-operate, we will approach the court and seek search warrant and search hostels and educational institutions,” he said.

Continuing his address Dr Harsha further said, "We were restraining ourselves from conducting raids in educational institutions to avoid defaming the institutions. But after appealing several times the educational institutions failed to conduct checking on their own and co-operate. So we have to take action by conducting raids to educational institutions and hostels. It is the responsibility of the educational institutions to clean up their premises on their own.”

“Zero tolerance for drugs. Ignorance of law is no excuse and we will not spare anyone. Today those who are arrested are youngsters. I urge youth not to fall prey to money and involve in supply of drugs. Drug menace is spreading like wild fire and sweep action need to take place,” he added.

“Operation Sagar Kavach, a mock drill is in process in Mangaluru for two days. Intensive checking and surveillance is taking place. So I urge people not to panic,” said Dr P S Harsha.