Steps should be taken to expeditiously conduct and complete ganja and Gutkha cases and secure conviction for offenders, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin directed top officials here on Tuesday.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review prevention and awareness measures against drugs, Stalin said all police superintendents and collectors should say with pride that their regions are completely ganja-free. Such a time should blossom and only then people would feel that their children are safe. Everyone should work towards making entire Tamil Nadu fully drug-free.
In ganja and Gutkha cases, charge sheets should be immediately filed. If warranted, separate teams should be set up for this purpose. In each and every district, such cases in courts should be expeditiously conducted and completed to ensure conviction for offenders.
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Vigil should be intensified in areas in and around schools and colleges to prevent prescription drug abuse, 'the use of classes of medicine as drugs,' the Chief Minister advised.
As regards habitual offenders, implementation of CrPc provisions on execution of bond for good behaviour should be mandatory and legal steps should be taken to prevent their release on bail.
Officials furnished information on freezing of bank accounts and confiscation of properties of ganja peddlers and awareness campaigns among students. In 2022, for drug offences including ganja, over 12,000 cases were filed and 17,250 persons were arrested and 26,525 kg of intoxicants were seized. Also, over 11 lakh kg of Gutkha was seized and 50,875 persons were arrested.
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Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu, Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu, top Home department and police officials participated.
