Telangana Excise Enforcement Records Sharp Rise in NDPS Arrests and Seizures

Hyderabad:Against a wave of rising NDPS cases, the excise enforcement personnel stemmed the tide somewhat by increasing more people than last year, according to data released by V.B. Kamalasan Reddy, director general, state excise enforcement.

While NDPS cases increased by 29.17 per cent to 1,045 cases this year, over 809 cases in 2023, the department carried out 63.28 per cent more arrests —1,840 this year against 1,134 in 2023.

As against 264 vehicles that were seized in 2023, this year’s figure stood at 471, Kamalasan Reddy said.

The seized material included poppy straw, alprazolam and emerging synthetic and designer drugs, he said. Breach cases have risen since January, indicating tighter enforcement, Reddy said.

“We realised that we are lagging behind in securing convictions,” the DG said. “We noticed that NDPS cases and illicit liquor cases have been pending since 1995.”

“In the coming year we will be reopening all pending cases and invoke PD Act on habitual drug peddlers. We will also seize the moveable and immovable properties of the offenders,” Kamalasan Reddy added.

With regard to non-duty paid liquor (NDPL), which comes under illicit distillation offences (IDO), there has been an 8.66 per cent increase from 11,717 in 2023 to 12,727 this year, Kamalasan Reddy said.

The quantity of material seized rose by 19.87 per cent due to effective enforcement. As against 1,30,696 litres seized this year, the figure stood at 1,04,730 litres last year. The number of vehicles carrying contraband that were seized increased by 20.25 per cent.

Since January, excise enforcement has booked 21,816 cases, arrested 13,336 persons, seized 1,08,200 litres of illicit liquor worth `27.45 crore.

TG excise officials identified 24 ID prevalent stations. During a statewide drive against illicit distillation in 25 districts, officials booked 6,018 cases, made 5,173 arrests, and seized 28,720 litres of illicit liquor, 1.92.614 kg of black jiggery and 910 vehicles.

Infographics:

NDPS drugs seized in 2024:

Poppy straw: 1,23,959.59 kg

Poppy husk: 12.98 kg

Mephedrone: 101.98 kg

Alpha PiHP 2.85 kg

Hash oil: 16.22 kg

Cocaine: 17 kg

Fantasy transdermal: 1.5 mg

Charas 117.2 grams

Kush 108.18 grams

Chocolate-laced ganga 99.42 kg

Opium 6.35 kg

Heroin 151 grams

MDMA 683.81 grams

LSD blots 75

Alprazolam 30.4 kg

Diazepam.1.52 kg.