23 drug consumers complete de-addiction programme after Telangana’s EAGLE Force operation

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Telangana’s EAGLE Force said rehabilitation would remain part of its approach towards drug consumers. The image is used for representative purposes only. | Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G

Twenty-three drug consumers identified during an EAGLE Force operation have completed de-addiction treatment and received rehabilitation completion certificates, months after an investigation uncovered a drug supply chain stretching from Odisha to Hyderabad.

The consumers were counselled again as part of the continuing rehabilitation process and produced before the court in L.B. Nagar. Eligible people were considered under Section 64-A of the NDPS Act and granted the applicable statutory benefit or immunity by the court, the EAGLE Force said.

The case originated with a complaint against 27-year-old Satya Avinash of Kukatpally, who was suspected of peddling MDMA and LSD. During the investigation, the police allegedly uncovered a supply chain running from Koraput district in Odisha through Pachipenta in Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, to Hyderabad.

Investigators identified 31 carriers, financial links and around 230 consumers during June and July. The police said drugs were ordered through WhatsApp, with payments made digitally and locations subsequently shared for collection through a “dead drop” system.

The investigation culminated in a coordinated operation on the intervening night of August 12 and 13. Five persons allegedly linked to the Odisha supply network were apprehended, while one juvenile was dealt with as per law.

The police also apprehended 100 consumers, of whom 80 tested positive for drugs. Those eligible were subsequently referred for de-addiction and rehabilitation through the intervention of a magistrate.

The EAGLE Force said rehabilitation would remain part of its approach towards drug consumers, alongside action against suppliers and trafficking networks.

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