31 December,2010 06:22 AM IST | | Poornima Swaminathan
The dynamics of the drug cartel is set to change after Ketamine, a precursor drug will soon be included under the stringent NDPS Act.
With the new amendment, hundreds of unemployed, poor Indian youth who were until recently used by the drug mafia as carriers, will be out of the trade.
In India, currently, smugglers of Ketamine, popularly known as party and date rape drug, are arrested under the Customs Act where they can get bail within days.
Under NDPS, there is no bail for smugglers and punishment for first-time offenders is a minimum of 10 years.
"With the growing awareness about the pre cursor drug and the law becoming more stringent, local youth may be deterred to aid the drug cartel," pointed out a senior NCB official, on condition of anonymity.
In India since Ketamine was not strictly regulated, the mafia used youngsters to transport it to South East Asian countries, which have stringent drug laws.
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In the last 10 years, at least 400 Indian youth have been arrested across South Asian countries for illegally possessing the drug. Most of them are languishing in jail, awaiting capital punishment.
Senior officials pointed out because of the lax laws, the drug mafia used locals to smuggle it into the South East Asian countries.
Being legal in India, ketamine hydrochloride costs Rs 35,000 per kg whereas in the international market it costs up to Rs 10 lakh a kg as it falls under the narcotic drugs category in Taiwan, China and European countries.
In the last five years, 930 kg of ketamine has been seized from Mumbai.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is an anaesthetic that is primarily used during surgical procedures. It is a liquid that can be injected or snorted, and is often misused on unsuspecting victims to lower their guard. It is often called the Date rape drug, as mixed with a drink Ketamine can be lethal in knocking out a person.
