Sunday Times 2
The scourge of narcotic drugs
View(s):Prevention is better than cure
By B. Anton Jeyanathan
The above wise saying may directly refer to people’s medical condition and it has been proved that if early preventive action is taken, the person afflicted has recovered remarkably without going through hospitalisation or spending more money to regain normal health.
This adage is very relevant to the present scourge of drug trafficking faced by our country. Much has been written and discussed in the mass media and electronic media about this subject where the details of such detections, seizures of drugs etc., have been amply detailed by the relevant law enforcement agencies.
Cannabis– which is much sought after by manual workers as well as some intellectuals is freely available as it is locally grown. However, in the recent past there have been many detections of Kerala ganja being smuggled, especially through the Northern part of Sri Lanka. It indicates that users of cannabis prefer Kerala ganja which is said to be stronger than the local ganja.
Another new trend witnessed during the past year is the large detection of cocaine which has been smuggled through containers carrying consignments of sugar.
Heroin – continues to be the largest consignment of narcotic drugs which has been smuggled into this country on a regular basis. The bulk of the smuggled drugs comes across from Indian shores by boats engaged by drug smugglers.
Cocaine – Another new trend witnessed during the past year is the large detection of cocaine which has been smuggled through containers carrying consignments of sugar. The only people arrested in connection with this large scale smuggling were the registered owners of the sugar importing firm. To my recollection no other people who were directly involved with the smuggling of cocaine have been arrested so far. There had also been a detection of some Nigerians involved in smuggling large quantities of cocaine. This is a further indication of drug users preferring a stronger drug to heroin.
Detection
From the statistics available the law enforcement agencies, Police Department, Police Narcotics Bureau, Customs Department and Excise Department, have regularly detected cannabis, heroin and cocaine smuggled into the country. However, these detections have not prevented the drug smugglers from engaging in smuggling such drugs into this country.
Prevention
The law enforcement authorities specially the police, have been trained to engage primarily in the prevention of crime, detection of crime and prosecution of offenders. In the case of drug trafficking, in spite of all the detections, the prosecution and punishment of drug smugglers at times with life sentences, though death penalty, is mandatory for possession or trafficking of drugs on a large scale.
There is a larger section of the community who have not been lured or fallen victims of drug smugglers or drug traffickers. It is this large section of the community that should be targeted by the law enforcement agencies especially the Police Department to educate them on the dangers of using narcotic drugs so that they will not cross the line and join those who have become victims of peer pressure or have false notions on the use of narcotic drugs.
Preventive educational programmes
The police personnel, especially officers of the Police Narcotics Bureau, must plan out a strategy to conduct preventive educational programs in all the educational institutions, schools, colleges, universities, among parents, teachers etc., so that the dangers of the use of narcotics will be embedded in their hearts and minds.
Recollection – To emphasise on the power of preventive educational programs, I would like to recall an incident.
I was in charge of the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) for nearly six years during the period from about 1988 to 1994. During this period, with the help of other Officers, NGO’s and other relevant Associations, the (PNB) undertook several educational programs in the schools and colleges in the city as well as outstation. A few years back I had to accompany a senior retired DIG to a leading private bank in Borella to seek the transfer of his pension, as he was migrating to the USA. We had to meet a manageress to discuss the transfer. We were both retired police officers. I introduced the senior officer and we were discussing the manner in which the transfer could be done to his USA account. The manageress whilst attending to her work was looking at me and asked me whether I too was a retired police officer. I confirmed that I was. The next question she asked me was whether I was in the (PNB) to which I again answered that I had been. Then I asked her a question as to how she knew that I was in the police and in the PNB. To this she replied that she was a student of a leading school carrying the name of a former Prime Minister – Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike, and that the PNB had conducted an educational program and I had brought along with me a rehabilitated drug addict who spoke to them, and that the message imparted to them by the drug addict was still embedded in her mind. She said that she was thankful to the (PNB) for having educated them on the dangers of the use of narcotic drugs. I realised how the minds of young students and youths can be diverted from the use and abuse of narcotic drugs, if proper preventive educational programs are conducted. Subject to correction, I find that the law enforcement agencies are diverting all their attention towards detection and prosecution, rather than preventive programs. Any legislative action to punish users and abusers will not change the situation where the detection of use and abuse of such drugs is on the increase. It is a fact that nearly 95% of those arrested and who are languishing in jail are drug users, drug dependents and not drug dealers. We can reduce this per centage of drug users only by educational programs to enlighten the youths who are being misled either by their peers or colleagues and by the false notion that such use of drugs can make them acceptable in society.
The three Ps
The fight against drug trafficking has to be a combined effort and especially in the area of prevention, there are three important segments who have to work together to prevent the further spread of the drug menace – the three P’s.
The three Ps are:
a) Pasal (schools)
b) Pansal (temples)
c) Police
All three segments play very important roles in villages.
a) Pasal (schools)
Schools are places of learning, but at the same time are also places where the student population can be misled and lured into using drugs, may be for enhancing their learning capacity or high performance in sports etc. It is in the schools, the principals, teachers and members of the Parent-Teachers Association (PTA), play a very vital role in monitoring, educating, guiding and preventing the students under their care from peer pressure to try the use of narcotic drugs.
b) Pansal (temples)
In every village the temple is revered and considered a sacred place where youths and elders meet to worship and to get the blessings of the priest. Generally the chief priest of each temple is held in high esteem and respect and his advice and guidance is considered valuable by the villagers. The priests also will note the behavioural pattern of the youths and could guide them if they are found to be going on the wrong track.
c) Police
The police are the law enforcement officers and the Officer in Charge of each police area should develop a very close network with the authorities of the school and the temple authorities. They must win the confidence and trust of the school as well as the temple authorities so that they in turn can help and assist in identifying the drug traffickers in the areas who are distributing the drugs in order to attract more and more clients for them to earn more illegal money. The OIC’s of the stations must with the help of the temple and school authorities undertake preventive educational programs both in schools as well as at temples. The Police Department is gearing up to establish a good working relationship with the community under the concept of “community policing”. It is through this “community policing” that the police can get the desired assistance and support of both the school and temple authorities.
The President has openly taken the fight against the scourge of drugs as a priority of the government. With the head of State leading the way it is time that the law enforcement agencies especially the police and the PNB take a positive step towards prevention of demand for narcotic drugs which in turn will reduce the supply of drugs. Whilst relentless action should be taken to prevent drug smuggling, the important aspect of preventive education should also be given priority in order to reduce the demand for as well as supply of narcotic drugs.
(The writer is a retired Deputy Ispector General of Police)