Rave party busted in Vizag, Andhra DGP promises strict vigilance on drugs

Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) R P Thakur on Thursday took note of the rave party that was organised at Visakhapatnam's Rushikonda beach on April 13, that led to arrest of a drug peddling gang.  Stating that the case was 'disturbing' Thakur said that the city police would soon launch a 24x7 phone number to receive complaints regarding the drug trade in the city.  “People can alert the police on the phone number or send messages through WhatsApp if they come across peddling of drugs, transportation of the contraband or any suspicious movement related to it. The phone number will work round the clock. History sheets will be opened against the people involved in the illicit drug trade. The police will trace the sources of drugs,” the DGP told reporters. Thakur also asked the managements of educational institutions and star hotels to keep a lookout for such parties and immediately inform the police of any suspicious activity.  Earlier this month, the police said that the arrests of four people revealed that unemployed youth in their early and late 20s who were addicted to hard drugs like Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), more commonly known as Ecstasy, were turning peddlers to fund their addiction and make a quick buck in Visakhapatnam. Officials suspect that at least 40 youth, who frequently attend rave parties, could be involved in peddling small quantities of the drugs.   While officials insisted that unlike in cities like Hyderabad or Bengaluru, the hard drug scene in Visakhapatnam is still in its nascent stages, they did not deny that it could potentially be a large market for users and peddlers. Officials also suspected that unemployed youth travel from the Agency area and transport between 2 and 5 kg of ganja to Bengaluru, where they either exchange it for harder drugs, or simply sell the ganja and use the money to buy LSD, MDMA and cocaine.   Read: Araku weed in return for LSD, Ecstasy: Vizag cops suspect barter deals in drug trade