Creating a new record in disposal of banned drug substances, the Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha police destroyed 220 tonnes of cannabis and 78 kilograms of brown sugar valued at over Rs 600 crore in the last one year.

The drug destruction drive was carried out on 10 June last year on directions of the Orissa High Court. The drug disposal was conducted in accordance with a SOP for early certification and authentication of seized narcotics drugs.

It’s pertinent to note here that the Orissa High Court has appreciated the sincere efforts of Odisha police in accelerating pretrial disposal of seized narcotic drugs on two occasions in the last one year.

“The Court records its appreciation of the work done so far by the officials and expects the work in future to be undertaken with the same vigour”, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Dr. S. Muralidhar and Justice S.K.Panigrahi stated in an order in December last year.

In a span of a year, the Odisha Police destroyed a record 220 tons of cannabis in 1434 cases and more than 78 Kg of brown sugar in 129 cases following very strict rules and regulations, said Deputy Inspector General of Police, STF, Jay Narayan Pankaj.

Disposal/destruction of seized drugs is a complex legal and administrative process involving the judiciary, police, forensic science laboratory, pollution, excise, revenue and central Government’s Chief controllers, and government opium and alkaloid departments.

The seized contrabands are being disposed of as per the sub section (3) of section 52A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985.

For the destruction of drugs, a committee headed by Superintendent of Police has been constituted in each district and establishment under the chairmanship of Superintendent of Police. The Excise Superintendent, one Deputy Collector and one Deputy Superintendent of Police are members of the Drug Disposal Committee.

On receipt of the chemical examination report from the Forensic Science Laboratories, the Investigating Officer (IO) moves to the concerned court for certification of correctness of inventory of seized contrabands. The court directs a judicial magistrate under his jurisdiction to make certification of correctness of the inventory of the seized contrabands. After certification, concerned courts pass necessary orders for disposal of drugs and handover the seized contraband to the (IO).

After destruction of the seized drugs, the chairman of Drug Disposal Committees informs the Additional Director General of Police, Crime Branch and sends a copy of destruction certificate to the concerned trial court, the official said citing the SOP.

The STF’s initiative to make Odisha free from the tentacles of drug peddlers is still in full swing with assistance of police and other enforcement agencies, the official added.