The high demand led to a short supply of certain substances
Manish Pachouly
Mumbai: The pre-New Year rave party busted in Thane on the wee hours of Sunday has again highlighted the serious concern about youths falling into the dangerous habit of drug consumption. The police had arrested two organisers and detained 95 revellers most of whom were aged between 19 and 30 years. The organisers too were 23 and 19 years old.
Among the drugs seized at the party included LSD, MD powder, ecstasy pills, and charas. The invites for the party were sent on social media and an entry fee was charged to all the revellers.
Sources in anti-narcotics agencies said that the nuisance of drug abuse, especially on the eve of the new year was such that people paid a premium to obtain the substances they wanted to consume. The price of drugs spiraled on the eve of the new year and the demand was so high that there was a shortage of certain substances, sources added.
“The shortage was such that certain peddlers sold boric acid as cocaine. The addicts or consumers realised that only after they used the so-called cocaine,” an official said requesting not to be quoted. It was also learned that some elite-class parties witnessed a shortage of cocaine.
Sources said that the price of the narcotics substances was double or more during the new year. The LSD blots (papers) which are generally sold for Rs 1500 per blot were sold for around Rs 3500, a source said. Similarly, very poor-quality cocaine which is mixed with boric acid or baking soda and sold for Rs 3,000 per gram, sold at Rs 8,000.
On the street, the purity of cocaine is identified by colour slang or codes which include green, black, red, and yellow.
Besides these, ecstasy pills which are again in high demand at parties were sold at exorbitant rates. “LSD and ecstasy are mostly used in certain discotheques, which are packed on the eve of the new year,” the officer said adding that such discotheques use psychedelic music. The use of psychedelic music is more prominent in discotheques and rave parties in Goa and Mumbai.
The massive drug usage was not only at raves or elite parties, even the poor class addicts paid a premium for the cheap substances they use. “The codeine-based syrups that are sold illegally were in high demand with some unscrupulous chemists charging a premium for the same,” said another official.
“Another medicine which comes under the NDPS Act when sold without prescription is Nitrosun. It is a scheduled drug and was again in high demand,” the official said adding that the drug was illegally sold at a premium price of Rs 50 per tablet. This is mostly used by the poor class who cannot afford the high-priced drugs.
When contacted, Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sameer Wankhede who is extensively working towards “Nasha Mukt Bharat” said that there is a need for strong enforcement of the law and regular checking of medical stores. “Besides, there is a need for stringent checking of suspicious passengers at the airports to prevent drug smuggling,” he said adding with the use of the dark web it is also necessary to keep a close watch on narcotics smuggling through posts and couriers.
Crime Alert 