Drug abuse spreading
An increase in cases and subsequent arrests in connection with drug peddling signifies that the number of drug abusers is on the rise, claimed an official of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC).
He said this at a press conference held at DNC headquarters in the capital yesterday.
In November 2015 alone, 6,353 persons were arrested in 5,163 cases filed over drug-related crimes, and in November this year, the number of arrestees rose to 8,195 and cases to 6,409, said a DNC press release.
Referring to their interviews conducted among the addicts who are being treated at rehabilitation centres across the country, DNC Director (operations) Syed Towfique Uddin Ahmed claimed to have found that students constituted the largest percentage of the addicts.
DNC is regularly conducting drives to curb drug peddling in the country, he said, conceding that the number of peddlers as well as quantity of narcotics seized during drives increased alarmingly compared to the last year.
The sale of yaba, Phensedyl and cannabis is rampant in drug markets, and the number of yaba consumers increased by around 15 percent compared to the previous year, said DNC Additional Director (intelligence) Nazrul Islam Sikder.
Phensidyl is being imported under the labels of Codocop, Iconic and Codex, he said.
Asked whether the department is really capable of controlling narcotics, Towfique said the shortage of human resources at DNC offices is an impediment to conducting fruitful drives.
He, however, said other law enforcement agencies are always responsive to helping the department.
"Sometimes we are not successful because of delayed operations," he added.
DNC will use its maximum force during the forthcoming New Year celebration to check drug-related crimes, he said.
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