Anti-narcotic cell to be established in all coastal police stations, says SSP

A slew of measures, including establishment of an Anti-Narcotic cell in all coastal police stations, have been taken by the territorial police to prevent use of Puducherry’s vast coastline for any illegal activity.

Senior Superintendent of Police Deepika, who has recently taken charge of Anti-Narcotics Task Force and Coastal Security told The Hindu that the Police department has decided to create anti-narcotic cells in all coastal police stations in the region. Separate cells would be created with available police strength in each of the police stations to deal with smuggling of narcotics and related offences.

Besides establishing the cells, the police have intensified their interactions with the coastal community and stepped up activities to promote ‘9489205100’, the contact number of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force of the Puducherry police. The helpline 1933 of Tele MANAS (Mental Health Assistance and Network Across States) would also be promoted among the community members, she said.

“We have intensified patrolling in areas along the seashore and convening frequent meetings with members of the fishermen community to create awareness among them on healthy tourism practices, ill-effects of use of narcotic substances and to share safety tips. The police personnel on coastal patrolling have been directed to improve surveillance using binoculars,” she said. 

According to a senior police officer, the emphasis was more on coastal security after the recent seizure of huge quantity of crystal methamphetamine, a banned synthetic drug, from a coastal village in Nagapattingam district of Tamil Nadu by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. The drug consignment that was seized was intended to be smuggled to Sri Lanka through mid-sea transfer, the officer added.