Forfeiture of properties strengthens crackdown on drug peddlers in Kozhikode

Properties of seven more persons to be forfeited under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act in Kozhikode city

Legal measures are under way to forfeit the properties of seven more persons who were earlier arrested in connection with major drug trafficking cases in Kozhikode city. The Revenue department will soon gather details of their properties to expedite the process.

Five of the frequent offenders identified by the police for stringent action are from Kozhikode Town police station limits, while the remaining two are from Nallalam and Pantheerankavu station limits.

The forfeiture measures will be initiated under Section F (Seizure or freezing of illegally acquired property) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Action under this section has already been taken against two youths—Albin Sebastian of Peruvannamuzhi and Kalarikkal Veetil Nandakumar of Feroke—who were arrested by the Kozhikode city police in connection with two major synthetic drug trafficking cases.

According to officials with the Anti-narcotics squads, the seizure or forfeiture of properties under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act is one of the strongest legal measures adopted to dismantle the network of drug pushers across the country. “Through this legal measure, we mainly target the seizure of properties acquired using income from the synthetic drug trade,” they said.

The details related to each case will be submitted to the Chennai-based Appellate Tribunal under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act. The freezing of bank accounts will also be recommended for individuals involved in serious offences with international connections.

Apart from the seizure of properties, the city police have taken action against frequent offenders by invoking the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act. Of the eight proposals submitted to the Ministry of Home last year seeking one-year imprisonment under this Act, two have already been approved. An order is expected soon in the cases of the other four individuals, with only two proposals rejected so far.

As part of ongoing efforts, the city police will launch a new anti-drug initiative, ‘No, Never,’ at Kozhikode beach on Monday (November 25). Minister for Public Works and Tourism P.A. Mohamed Riyas will announce the project, which will primarily focus on raising awareness about drug abuse to reduce demand. District Police Chief (Kozhikode City) T. Narayanan will present the project details at the event, which will be attended by Rajpal Meena, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Kannur Range).

Published - November 24, 2024 11:47 pm IST