The written replies tabled in both the houses of state legislature paint a grim picture of the rising sale and consumption of illicit drugs across the state.
The data also reveals that the consumption of synthetic drugs in Bengaluru has gone up substantially.
According to these replies, in 2020 the state police registered 5,909 cases, in 2021 7,525 cases were booked and in 2022 cases rose to 8,425, which translates to an average of 16 cases a day in 2020, 20 cases a day in 2021 and 23 cases a day in 2022. The conviction rate stood at 19%, 18% and 11% in 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively.
The data accessed by the DH revealed in Bengaluru alone, as much as 86.667 kg of synthetic drugs were seized in 196 cases in 2021. The following year saw a quantum jump in drug seizures with 4,228.44 kg from 4,042 cases.
A senior police officer, on the condition of anonymity, told DH, “Drug seizure is only a tip of an iceberg and the true extent of the drug trade in Bengaluru city could be much higher...”
The officer added that the growing number of educational institutions and outsiders coming to the city are largely contributing to the rise in substance abuse. He added that effective policing would curb the menace to a large extent.
Another police officer noted that Dakshina Kannada and Udupi are witnessing a sharp increase in illicit drug sales and consumption.
The officer added that Bengaluu gets its substance from various means such as the dark web, land and air routes while the Mangaluru-Manipal region gets its stock from Kerala.
The officer said that Bengaluru has its own manufacturing units of synthetic drugs too as it came to light when ‘Sandalwood drug case’ investigations led to the crackdown of such units in Mathikere, Kodigehalli and several places around suburban Bengaluru.
On a low rate of conviction, citing the Sandalwood drug case as an example, a police officer observed that gathering evidence is a herculean task in these cases. Also, it’s a bailable offence if the suspect succeeds in convincing the court that he/she possessed drugs for own use.