Post-midnight raids: Bengaluru cops knock on doors of drug users & peddlers | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: In an unprecedented move to curb drug abuse and peddling, the city’s north division cops launched surprise post-midnight checks on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, visiting the homes of suspected drug users and peddlers across 13 police limits. The door-to-door operation, which began late at night, marked a return to booking consumers — something Bengaluru police had not actively pursued for nearly two years. TOI had reported last week that in a policy shift, cops were looking to book more users.Led by DCP (North) Babasab Nemagoud, the special operation covered Yeshwantpur, RMC Yard, Jalahalli, Malleswaram, Mahalakshmi Layout, Rajajinagar, Subramanyanagar, Nandini Layout, JC Nagar, RT Nagar, Sanjay Nagar, and Hebbal. Teams included ACPs from three sub-divisions, 13 police inspectors, and supporting staff.During the raids, police recovered 1.6kg of ganja and 150 grams of hashish oil from homes in RT Nagar and Sanjay Nagar. Two cases were registered. In RT Nagar, brothers Athiq Hussen, 35, and Idris Hussen, 30, were arrested after ganja was found at their residence. They have been remanded in judicial custody.In Sanjay Nagar, Manoj Kumar, 29, was tracked down in a shed after police found he was no longer living at his registered address. A repeat offender, he had previously been involved in a 2021 dacoity and drug peddling case and had skipped multiple court hearings. Police took him into custody for five days. “He confessed to sourcing hashish oil from Odisha. We’re investigating his suppliers and network of consumers,” an officer said.“We’ve registered two cases and arrested three persons, while 11 persons have been booked for consumption of drugs. Apart from searching for narcotics, we also verified details of individuals with pending warrants and those not attending court hearings. They were warned to stop indulging in drug-related activities,” Nemagoud said.In all, 106 houses linked to peddlers and anti-social elements were searched. People found moving around suspiciously during the checks were subjected to medical tests to determine whether they were under the influence of drugs. All 11 individuals tested positive, and cases have been booked against them as well.“We’ve updated our records on the present work status of peddlers, their known associates, and phone numbers,” said a senior officer. “While we have conducted such checks on rowdy elements in the past, this drive was unique in its exclusive focus on narcotics. Other divisions will soon replicate this model.”