Bhubaneswar: In the recent years during the massive campaign against the narcotics especially Ganja (also known as Cannabis/ Marijuana/ weeds) and Brown sugar (also known as Heroin/ smack) by Odisha police, there has been huge piling up of seized narcotic drugs.
As the trial of narcotics cases takes time, these seized drugs remain stocked at police stations/ court Malkhanas exposed to all kind of vulnerabilities.
The piling up of seized drugs has been a cause of concern and honorable Supreme Court in the case of Union of India Vrs. Mohanlal & others passed a detailed order on disposal/ destruction of seized drugs especially emphasizing on pre trial disposal of seized drugs.
However because of some procedural and technical ambiguity/ issues, seized drugs could not be disposed of. In this backdrop, STF approached the Hon’ble High Court of Odisha with a prayer for certain direction/ order to resolve the issues/ hindrances involved in disposing of the seized drugs.
In January this year, the Orissa High Court passed a judgment directing the Sub-ordinate courts to dispose the applications filed under Section 52A of NDPS Act, 1985 issuing a detailed SOP in this regard.
Accordingly, on Tuesday (November 29), on the decision of Drug Disposal Committee (DDC) led by SP, STF, Bhubaneswar, bulk quantity of contraband Brown Sugar (8.74 kg) seized in six cases by the STF were destroyed at a designated incinerator in Khurda.
Deputy Collector, Khodha, Superintendent of Excise, Khorda, DSP, STF in presence of Scientific Officers of State Forensic Science laboratory and Member of State Pollution Board are also members of the DDC.
Till date STF has destructed/disposed of 21 kg 561 gm brown sugar in 16 cases and 18 Qtls 17 kg Ganja in 05 cases including today’s destruction. Similarly, Odisha Police has disposed/ destructed 333 Qtl 49 kg 928 gm Ganja in 135 Cases and 24 kg 568 gm Brown Sugar in 22 Cases.
