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      DISMANTLE                 prepared using multiple chemical
                                substances. These all are manufactured
      DRUG SUPPLY               to cater to people belonging to different
                                socio-economic strata of the society.
      CHAIN                     becoming more popular due to its easy
                                  Currently,  the synthetic drugs are
      TO SPURN                  availability and less cost compared
      DRUG                      to the natural drugs. These drugs
                                give powerful kicks and thus mostly
      MENACE: NCB               preferred by the youth. Besides,
                                tracing and identifying these remain
                                a big challenge for the enforcement
      MUTHA ASHOK Jain, Director   agencies.
      General of Narcotics Control Bureau   There’s an organization called Indian
      (SouthWesternA) sounds acerbic   International Narcotics Bureau which
      when he dwells on the wide-entrenched   convenes meeting every year to decide
      network of drug mafia. He stressed   which medicine is to be banned. Every
      on two pronged fight against this   member nations have to follow it. For
      menace: Supply reduction and Demand   an instance Tramadol is banned in
      reduction.                several countries and one cannot
       “Supply reduction entails   purchase it by showing prescription
      dismantling production, trade and   at medical stores. But there are many
      supply chain of spurious drugs,” he   countries where it is not banned.
      said. Here Directorate of Revenue   Drug mafia take advantage of this and
      Intelligence or DRI, Narcotics Control   purchase this medicine from these
      Bureau,  police and Excise Department   countries and convert it into drug and
      jointly carry out raids to stem the rot.   smuggle this into Indian market.
       Demand reduction too is equally   Almost every cities in India need to
      important to uproot the evil that has led   be sanitized from the growing clout of
      to the paralysis of a significant chunk   drug mafia . Narcotics control Bureau is
      of young workforce,  he elicited his   the apex agency that looks after this.
      concern over the growing number of   Drugs fall under several categories.
      drug addicts in the city and the crime   Some are natural like opium and
      associated with it.       cannabis while others are semi
       Demand control is part of this drug-  synthetic like Heroin which is produced
      free social drive and is look after by   from opium. Chemical process is used
      Ministry of Social Justice in association   to manufacture this drug. However
      with the Ministry of Health and public   cocaine is produced through natural   of people who take these to the customers. They carry
      welfare. They majorly look  after   process. Mafadrone, LSD and Ecstasy   out their task with utmost precision and avoid being
      rehabilitation of addicts, their treatment   are purely synthetic drugs, which are   identified and caught by the police. Their customers
      and counseling besides spearheading   prepared using multiple chemical   remain fixed and every one in this lethal chain keeps
      social awareness campaigns against   substances. These all are manufactured   their ‘cuts’ — part of the booty in their lingo.
      drug addiction.           to cater to people belonging to different   One MICRO, who remains active at a pub in Mum-
       Supply reduction is jointly look after   socio-economic strata of the society.  bai said that besides Bamba, their customers also
      by Home Ministry, State Police and Food   Currently, the synthetic drugs are   demands MD. MD is easily available in and around
      and Drug Administration (FDA).   becoming more popular due to its easy   Mumbai and thus there’s little problem in fetching
       Drugs fall under several categories.    availability and less cost compared   them.
      Some are natural like opium and   to the natural drugs. These drugs   Mark, another member of the drug syndicate
      cannabis while others are semi   give powerful kicks and thus mostly   whose name is changed said, cocaine is sold at  6000
      synthetic like Heroin which is produced   preferred by the youth. Besides, tracing   per gram today, which would shoot up by 50 percent
      from opium. Chemical process is used   and identifying these remain a big   after 25 December, while MD can be procured at
      to manufacture this drug. However   challenge for the enforcement agencies.  4000 per gram which would be doubled by that time.
      cocaine is produced through natural                      MD is equivalent to cocaine in terms of inebriation
      process. Mafadrone, LSD and Ecstasy      As told to MS Naula  and    and its price is also less than the latter, therefore it’s
      are purely synthetic drugs, which are      Arun Kaushik  becoming more popular among youngesters.


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