All those planning to celebrate this New Year’s Eve with a snort of cocaine or a puff of hashish, beware. For this New Year’s bash, the man with stylish clothes and long tresses dancing next to you could be a narcotics sleuth on the look out for drug peddlers.

According to Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) sources, their officials this time will be focusing especially on places between Malad and Bandra — known as western suburbs— to target drug peddlers. And for the purpose, the ANC is grooming some of its officers to gel with the party crowd during their operation.

Senior Police Inspector Girish Koyende from the ANC said, “Our investigations and research have shown that drug activity could be at its peak this New Year’s eve in the areas between Malad and Bandra. That’s because the western suburbs are the venue for many open air beach parties, where drug peddlers find it much easier to operate. So, the party venues in the suburbs will receive our special attention, besides a watch on the other parts of Mumbai. As we anticipate manpower crunch, we are planning to target specific areas where our information points out to maximum drug activity.”

Talking about their plan of grooming policemen for keeping a watch on the party venues, Koyende said, “We have a separate team of 15-20 officials who do not look like the typical police personnel. These officers are specifically instructed to grow their hair and dress up like normal party goers during such raids. Once they enter such party venues and come across any drug peddling activity, they will discreetly inform our raiding team. Then the team will immediately take action without paying any attention to the undercover officers. This is done to protect their identities as undercover operatives.”

Though Koyende did not mention the names of any venues where special watch would be kept for reasons of operational security, he did admit that beach parties are likely to be venues for drug trade than enclosed venues like pubs and discos. “Such open places are very conducive for the drug peddlers. He can stash his drugs in a nearby place and mingle with the crowd. Moreover, entry and exit from such venues is not as difficult as in the case of enclosed places,” he said.

Narcotics Cell to rope in public to combat drug menace
With an aim to expand their database of informers giving tip offs about drug activities, the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai Police is planning to put up pamphlets at public places with the numbers of their offices so that people with any information on drug activities can reach them directly.

Senior Police Inspector Girish Koyende from the ANC said, “Usually, when it comes to nabbing drug peddlers, we have to rely on informers. These pamphlets have been made so that even normal people who see or suspect any drug activity in their surroundings can contact us directly instead of going to the local police station. Moreover, there are certain places like pubs or colleges where also drug trade goes on some occasions.”

The pamphlets appeal general public to be alert about drug trade, and carry landline phone numbers of the ANC office at Cuffe Parade and its other units throughout the city. “We have also mentioned that the identities of the informers would be kept confidential so as to encourage the common man to inform our offices as and when they come across any drug activity,” said Koyende.

By next week, the pamphlets will be pasted at various public places and near colleges and pubs where drug trade is suspected to be carried out. Another ANC sleuth said on condition of anonymity, “Recently, a senior citizen who stays alone called our offices and informed us that he suspected a shop near his residence was being used for drug trade. We have now put the shop under surveillance. However, such kind of alertness on behalf of people would be a big help while combating the drug trade.”