Pubs & clubs turn into hubs of drugs

Hyderabad: Hyderabad, which in recent times has grown to be a bustling smart city peppered with pubs, bars and clubs, is preferred by Gen Y as a destination city. These recreation centres are slowly becoming hubs for drugs.

Officials say that it was time for greater and regular monitoring of the activities in the pubs and bars in the city, the use of drugs mainly ganja and LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide ) and MDML (Methylenedioxy-Methamphetamine) and other narcotic drugs like heroin are rampant in the name of nightlife.

The recent regular seizure of the ganja, which was being smuggled from the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, has established the fact of increasing use of cannabis in the recreation centres during the late-night parties.

"A strong network of ganja supply has been established by some groups in the city and make the substance available to the youth at many places, including the pubs which are opened in the posh colonies like Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills and Hi-tech city," a senior official of the state Directorate of Enforcement in the State Excise and Prohibition department revealed to The Hans India.

After Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao instructed the officials to come out with an action plan to free the State from the drug menace, the Excise officials have paid special attention to the pubs and bars and the services provided to the visitors particularly the youth in the centres.

"The use of hookahs are common in many pubs. Some of them sell the permitted tobacco flavours. After the ganja seizure cases increased, the use of cannabis is picking up in the pubs located particularly in HiTech city where the people from different parts of the country were staying," he said.

Officials said that youth considered the pubs and bars to be safe places to consume drugs as there is no such strong surveillance to monitor the activities inside the recreation centres.

"Most of them were operating the activities in the dimly lit premises. Though CCTVs are installed, it is difficult to probe the drug use unless the officials conduct raids physically," the official said. The officials also admitted that the pubs have gone scot-free for the last four years. The police and Excise conducted a series of raids in 2017 when the police busted links between Tollywood and drug mafia in the city. At that time, more than 10 pubs were served notices and a few have been closed for indulging in illegal activities mainly the supply of drugs. "There was no vigil on pubs and also no action against the pubs which were involved in the illegal activities in the last four years," said a source.

The major challenge before the government to curb drug use is the drug peddlers particularly from the African countries who have adopted new modus operandi in supplying drugs to the youth. Enforcement officials said that it has become difficult to trace the peddlers in view of the extensive use of advanced technology on their smartphone. "Now, the government is ready to bust the drug mafia by taking up special measures. Some stringent rules will be introduced to run the pubs during nights with some special security measures. Police and Excise officials will come out with a new strategy jointly to end the drug menace in the pubs," said another official.

Meanwhile, Excise and Prohibition Minister K Srinivas Goud held a high-level meeting with Excise officials and discussed bringing new permit orders to run the pubs and bars without drug supply.