Nimapada: At a time when there is an uptick in peddling of brown sugar recently, a lack of resources and also the required coordination between local police, Excise department and the intelligence division have rendered the measures to prevent the illegal trade ineffective.
According to reports, drug dealers are primarily targeting college students and unemployed youth. Dealers are especially active under the cover of darkness and are distributing substances along the banks of Kushabhadra river. Many young people are getting addicted to substance, consuming them in secluded places by the riverbank. Consequently, antisocial activities are rising in Nimapada region, making it unsafe for women to venture out in the evening. Police interventions often result in the temporary dispersal of these dealers, who eventually regroup and return. Dealers are systematically expanding their networks without getting noticed by law enforcement agencies. As a result, the police face challenges in apprehending them. The Excise department is severely understaffed, which contributes to the spread of drugs in the region. The white poison or drugs are being supplied from nearby regions like Puri, Jatni, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Berhampur.
Despite available intelligence, enforcement agencies have not been able to successfully crack down on these operations due to manpower shortages in both the police and Excise departments. Significantly, Nimapada intelligence division is running with one person only. Throughout this year, police and Excise dept fl ying squads have conducted separate raids, seizing drugs worth lakhs of rupees. Many of those apprehended have been taken to court. However, due to the above mentioned challenges, the drug trade continues to thrive, leaving authorities scrambling for effective solutions.
