Confessions of a Narcotics Control Bureau Team Member

“It is the street peddlers who are the real menace. They start by giving students small measures of drugs to get them addicted.”

The drug cartel is always a step ahead of the law. They are constantly trying to find new products to circumvent drug laws. Many NCB members are unaware of new trends in the market. This is a big handicap.

Many posted to this Bureau think of it as a punishment or side posting. Everyone wants to be at police stations. The reasons are obvious. The backbone of this trade can only be broken through dedicated involvement. The Bureau can’t be a place where you bide time till the next posting.

Teamwork is extremely essential here. The gangs are always looking for a bad apple. But we have checks. Since team members are aware that they are under watch by another department, they usually don’t risk their jobs. But there is no denying that some get paid regularly to look the other way. Corruption in this department is less since drug money is perceived as tainted.

International cartels do operate in Mumbai. They work through local gangs who are not in the limelight or recruit members who don’t have a police record. It’s a complicated chain of command. The gangs are desperate for money and the drug trade is the most lucrative option.

Despite stringent laws, there has been a huge increase in criminals involved in narcotics. While we know of big dealers, it is the street peddlers who are the real menace. They start by giving students small measures of drugs to get them addicted. They have become smart. Instead of carrying anything on their person, they keep small quantities of drugs in a public place.  When needed, they get it and slip it into the hands of their clients.

The population of addicts is huge and rising. Even we are scared of the numbers. They are everywhere, in the slums and in rich homes. There are also more women peddlers now. They are difficult to spot.

At the NCB, we have to be very discreet. A leak can ruin a good investigation. We are tightlipped about our findings and don’t want the investigation to be derailed by publicity. A small department is not enough to tackle drug cases. It should be as big as the police force itself. Drug cartels are the most difficult ones to break.

(He has worked with various police departments in Maharashtra and is now with the NCB)

(As told to Haima Deshpande)

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