Students of various educational institutions, film actors, sports personalities, and police personnel discussed prevention of production, transportation and consumption of drugs, narcotics and psychotropic substances in the State.
Officials of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) organised a webinar at AP Police Headquarters, Mangalagiri, on Friday, against use of drugs in connection with the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Director-General of Police (DGP) D. Gautam Sawang said that drug abuse was not a health hazard and it was a social hazard. He appealed to the people of various sectors to cooperate with the police and the line departments to curb the menace.
Persons having information on production, manufacturers, peddlers and consumers of narcotics, ganja and other banned drugs can alert the CID Narcotic Cell by sending a message to Whatsapp No.7382296118, he said.
Mr. Sawang said AP stood second with 47 lakh alcohol addicts, fourth with 1.4 lakh sedative users, seventh with 3.6 lakh opioid users. There were about 0.2 % of ganja (cannabis) users in the State, he said.
Registration of cases
“Police registered 802 cases in 2019 for illegal cultivation, manufacture, transportation and consumption of cannabis and other narcotics. In 2020, we booked 223 cases till March 31. Use of drugs by students and youth is a very serious matter in the State,” Mr. Sawang said.
Film actors K. Chiranjeevi, Nani and Sai Dharam Tej, international badminton player P.V. Sindhu, students of various colleges across the State, Director General-Railways Ch. Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, Additional DGs Ravi Shankar Ayyannar, P.V. Sunil Kumar, Harish Kumar Gupta, Sridhar Rao and other officers discussed ways to prevent drug production and smuggling.
Some police officers spoke on the drug peddler gangs, addicts among various age groups in men and women, children, national and international rackets. The investigation officers also discussed steps to curb the menace.
Inspector Generals of Police (IGPs), Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs), Commissioners of Police, Superintendents of Police (SPs) of all districts participated in the webinar.
