Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 15 June 2024
In a significant crackdown on illegal narcotics, the Police team of Hut Bay has seized 520 grams of crystalline methamphetamine and 230 grams of illicit ganja (cannabis), with a total street value exceeding Rs. 1 crore. A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Police Station Hut Bay.
The operation began on June 13, 2023, at 9:30 PM, following a tip-off from a reliable source about an individual selling ganja and methamphetamine from his residence. The information was swiftly relayed to SDPO Swaraj Dweep, who ordered an immediate raid.
A police team was assembled under the supervision of Mr. Manasvi Vashistha, SDPO (Swaraj Dweep), and included SI Somen Kr. Haldar, SHO PS Hut Bay, HC Arvind Kumar Kerketta, PC Anbhu Kumar, IRBn Ct Narayan, and HC(D) P. Thanga Durai. The raid was conducted in the presence of Mr. Cherian Methew, BDO, Little Andaman, and led to the recovery of the drugs from a poultry shed on the premises of the accused, Joydev Sarkar. The substances were confirmed as methamphetamine and ganja using a drug detection kit.
Joydev Sarkar, 32, a private worker residing in R.K. Pur, Ward No. 11, Little Andaman, was arrested at 12:30 AM on June 14, 2024, following all necessary legal procedures. He has been charged under sections 22(c) and 20(b)(ii) A of the NDPS Act, 1985. The investigation is ongoing under the oversight of Miss Shweta K. Sugathan, IPS, Superintendent of Police, South Andaman District.
The South Andaman District Police remain vigilant against drug trafficking and related suspicious activities. They urge the public to report any concerns via the helpline numbers 100, 112, 03192-232100, 03192-232400, and 03192-284208. Residents of Little Andaman are also encouraged to inform authorities about any suspicious drug-related activities or hidden packages in secluded areas. The police assure that informants’ identities will be kept confidential as part of their mission to create a drug-free society.