40 Face Preventive Detention for Drug Trafficking in 7 Months

Rapid Summary

• Kozhikode City police have identified 40 repeat offenders involved in synthetic drug trafficking over the past seven months.
• Preventive detention for one year under the PITNDPS Act, 1988, was recommended for these offenders.
• The Home department has fully accepted recommendations for 10 individuals, who were detained at Poojappura Central jail in Thiruvananthapuram district.
• Decisions on the remaining 30 cases are pending review by the Home department.
• A State-level advisory board led by a High Court judge will review individual detention periods, with possible extensions based on their findings.
• Anti-narcotic operations have also led to seizing properties like vehicles and freezing bank accounts of 10 major offenders following approval under the SAFEM (forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The steps taken by Kozhikode City police underline a decisive crackdown against organized synthetic drug trafficking networks. Preventive detention and asset forfeitures appear aimed at not just disrupting current operations but also dismantling deeply entrenched criminal behavior chains. While there is legitimate concern about safeguarding civil liberties during preventive detentions, strict oversight by judicial advisory boards adds credibility to this process. This operation coudl perhaps serve as a scalable model for anti-drug enforcement across India if implemented with similar procedural safeguards elsewhere.

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