'VIP' security for seized drugs: Tight police guard until destruction

PATHANAMTHITTA: Drugs seized from smugglers and sellers are kept under heavy police security until they are destroyed. The destruction process is carried out in the presence of senior officials. Special procedures are followed for storing and destroying seized narcotic substances to prevent their theft or illegal disposal.

The seized drugs are stored in special strong rooms at Armed Reserve (AR) camps. Armed police personnel guard these facilities. The authority to destroy the seized substances rests with the District Drug Disposal Committee headed by the District Police Chief. The decision to destroy the drugs is taken after a meeting of the committee. The action is carried out under Section 52A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

The destruction is conducted under the direct supervision of the District Police Chief in the presence of senior police officials, a representative of the magistrate, public representatives and media representatives. The seized substances are usually destroyed by burning. On Wednesday, 26.228 kg of cannabis and 10.755 grams of MDMA were destroyed at the AR Camp ground in Pathanamthitta. The seized drugs were worth around Rs 2 lakh. These were among the substances seized after the launch of Operation Toofan.

Destroyed only after testing
After a case is registered, three samples of cannabis and five samples of substances such as MDMA are sent to the government chemical laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram for testing. The test reports are submitted to the police station that registered the case and to the court.

After the testing process, officials verify that the weight of the seized substances stored in the strong room is the same as the weight recorded at the time of seizure. The drugs are then burned in an open ground or furnace. Senior officials, including the District Police Chief, leave only after ensuring that the substances are completely destroyed.

“Drugs are being destroyed as part of the Zero Drug Campaign under Operation Toofan.”
-R. Anand,
Pathanamthitta District Police Chief.