Ketamine

Ketamine

2 Oct 2016

Dev Chakravarti was having coffee with Aditi at Starbucks.

‘Dev, don’t you become bored with chasing all these drug lords and criminals. It is such a boring field I guess. How do you feel being ACP, Homicide, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)?” Aditi teased him.

“Dear what you do by the way? MAM of Spiel advertising.” Dev asked.

“I study consumer habits and spot trends.” she said.

Dev phone buzzed. Name of Mohammad Najeeb, ACP, anti Narcotics branch of NBI flashed. He listened the call for full five minutes. Then he remained lost in thought. After five minutes when the silence became too much Aditi touch his hand lovingly. He came out of his reverie.

“What?” She asked.

“That’s cool yaar. Can you do a study of consumer’s trend of a drug for me Aditi.”

“Which one?”

“Ketamine.”

“What is the need?”

“There are murders committed because of this as far as I know. Ganesh and Najeeb are already there. I have to go now.”

“I want to come with you.”

“OK. Tag along. We have to reach Munka village”

Dev and Aditi reached Munka village within 15 minutes. Najeeb and Ganesh greeted them.

“Najeeb! Why are you here if it a case of murder.” Dev asked.

“Dev it is not just murder. It is drug deal gone bad. The victims are identified as  Salman and Kallu. We have found 2 kg of Ketamine. Apparently whosoever has to take it further got into a tiff with them and killed them.” Said Najeeb.

“”Look they are very powerfully built persons and it is not easy to kill both even with a gun. So it seems the killer is very quick, ruthless and strong.”

Forensics (National forensic crime lab NFSL) people has come to crime scene. Ganesh told that this building is on rent and nobody cares about neighbors. So even if somebody saw anything there are no witnesses.

“We have to tackle it old fashioned way. And I hope we get some idea from forensic evidence.”

_____

They all reached NBI headquarter.

They settled in Najeeb’s chamber. Najeeb ordered tea for all.

“Najeeb please tell what you know about this drug” Dev said.

“Ketamine (Ketalar) is a dissociative general anesthetic that has been available by prescription in the U.S. since the 1970s for human and veterinary uses. It has also been used for pain control in burn therapy, battlefield injuries, and in children who cannot use other anesthetics due to side effects or allergies. Ketamine has become a drug of abuse and recreational drug. Ketamine for recreational purposes is sourced illegally via the diversion of the prescription products. Ketamine is available in a clear liquid or off-white powder form. Ketamine may be injected intravenously or intramuscularly, consumed orally, or added to marijuana and smoked. Abuse of ketamine can lead to powerful visual hallucinations that are intensified by environmental stimuli. When higher doses of ketamine are abused, it is reported to produce an “out-of-body”, “K-hole” or “near-death” hallucinogenic experience, often reported as terrifying. More recently, ketamine has become popular in the U.S. as a “club drug”, often used by teens and young adults at dance “rave” parties. Ketamine has also been used in instances of “date rape” due to its strong side effect of confusion and/or amnesia.”

“Wow that is so fast. We did not get half of it” Aditi said.

“In short you can say that this is a prescription drug but is being misused as a recreational and narcotic one. This is a menace and we are trying to stop it. Dev as this is the case we need your help too. We will from a team with the orders of Jt CP” Najeeb said.

“I want to hire Aditi as a consultant because we need to know the consumer behavior too”. Dev said.

“Let’s do it” said Aditi with enthusiasm.

5 October 2016

Aditi has done a lot of research in the intervening period. Also NBI has done the work in their own way. Once again they were in the chamber of ACP, Najeeb.

“Listen guys I have found an interesting pattern here. Maybe it can help you.”

“We are all ears” replied all three.

“The drug is popular in party circuit of Bangkok, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong kong etc. it is also used in Australia, Eurpoe and USA. As it is apparent Europe and USA are too far and supply there is from other centers. So from India supply can be to Bangkok, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong kong and Australia. A report says India's strategic location — situated between Southwest Asia (the Golden Crescent) and Southeast Asia (the Golden Triangle) — makes it an attractive transhipment area for contraband bound for Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia and North America. The Golden Crescent is the name given to one of Asia's two principal areas of illicit opium production (with the other being the Golden Triangle), located at the crossroads of Central, South, and Western Asia. This space overlaps three nations, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, whose mountainous peripheries define the crescent.” Aditi took a pause.

“You are right Aditi. While much of the contraband like heroin, opium and cocaine come from abroad and use India as a transit point; Ketamine is largely sourced domestically. The modus operandi, say Indian drug enforcement agencies sources, is illicit diversion of stocks engineered by licenced Ketamine manufacturers from states like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra. It is estimated that about four-five tonnes of ketamine go missing every year from legitimate production.” Added Najeeb. “We need to closely monitor legitimate Ketamine production and stop illicit diversion. The clandestine manufacture of Ketamine is a complex and costly process, therefore the main source of illicit Ketamine is through the diversion of legitimate pharmaceutical products,"

Dev and Ganesh are listening attentively.

Najeeb continued “Much of this diversion is taking place from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra. Himachal in particular has an industry-favourable tax regime that has led to proliferation of Ketamine manufacturing companies. Several of these firms have been found to be unscrupulously diverting Ketamine to illicit markets,"

All were silent for a while. Then they proceeded to Joint CP Brijesh pande Office.

“Sir we now have several leads. This is not a case of simple homicide. It is a drug deal gone wrong” Dev said after briefing him of the information already obtained.

“Dev and all you have done a good job so far. What do we know about Salman and Kallu?” asked Pande.

“Sir they were low level dope pushers and carriers. I guess they became greedy or liability and so the boss asked them to be eliminated. But this is a dead end as we don’t know who ordered hit or who killed them. We contacted their families but they have no idea and they do not live in Delhi.” Ganesh updated. “The slugs removed were 0.32 caliber gun but in absence of gun we can not trace the killer”.

“Dev and Najeeb forget about killer. I think we should approach it from supply side. Let’s find out where they are supplying and how. If we can catch their carrier all will be well. There are reports coming from Calcutta, Goa and Chennai that ketamine carriers are nabbed. It seems it is an international level ring. Najeeb you go to Chenaai, Ganesh you go to Calcutta and Dev & Aditi you should go to Goa. I shall tie up there for all cooperation. Interview the nabbed carriers and then when you three come back we will compare notes. I am hopeful we will crack this one.” Said Pande.

When Dev and Aditi came out a mischievous smile was on her face as she was going Goa, land of fun and frolic, with her crush Dev.

10 October 2016

In Goa they went straight to the nabbed pusher Joseph. He told them to talk to Bajrangi Mishra in Delhi. He is the one who used to give him orders. Ganesh and Najeeb also got the same name. Dev and Najeeb carefully set up surveillance on Bajrangi. After careful investigation they got warrant against him.

Then they all four went to his palace like home in south Delhi.

“Bajrangi, How are you?” asked Dev.

“Never been better”.

“You won’t be any longer. We know all about your Ketamine business. Are you telling me now or later at HQ.”

“I guess I will talk here first. Maybe we can settle something”

“That depends on what you can offer me. And I am not talking of money. Start singing how you do it and who killed them”.

“I guess you know everything Dev. I will not say anything. Do whatever you want.”

------

He was sitting in interrogation room of NBI and Dev and Najeeb were sitting in front of him.

“How you take these drugs outside?

“I am not talking. Do whatever you want and get me a lawyer”

Dev knew that Bajrangi is a seasoned asshole.

“Listen carefully you Madarchod. I hate crime and criminals like you. I despise you from all my being. This is not America. I will beat you black and blue and keep you locked for as long as we want. You can either tell now or later. But later it will be painful. Choice is yours. We will come back after five minutes” Dev eyes were red and Mishra understood he meant business.

“Sit Down Dev. Salman and Kallu were being very greedy. They were stealing from us and selling it in party circuit of Delhi. In our business we just can not allow that. This is based on fear. So I ordered my hitman Shamshad to take care of them.”

“Hmm where can we find him?”

Bajrangi gave them and address and Dev gestured toward Ganesh and Aditi who were looking from one way glass. Ganesh was on his way to arrange his nabbing.

“How do you manage to take these drugs outside?”

“These are many methods. In south India there are many established red sanders smuggling ring. We use them for ketamine also. There is no problem and modus operandi is almost same. That is why you got tip from Chennai about me.” Mishra said “With the law catching up, we are trying innovative means to stay ahead. We are peddling drugs through the foreign postal department.
recently we hid Ketamine in a set of earphones and in a pack of bedsheets to be sent out to Australia. This is our new modus operandi.”

“How innovative. Najeeb take his full statement. I will go check on this Shamshad”.

____

In national level raids around 5000 kg of ketamine and a big lot of red sanders were seized. Shamshad was arrested and the gun was found. They have made around 150 arrests. The whole operation was brought down. All four were praised and as usual Dev Chakravarti ended up on top.

 When Dev and Aditi were alone she looked at him wistfully.

“What?” He looked into her eyes.

“Nothing. Nothing at all. I just need a JD. Let’s go to a bar. I am a market analyst not a daring officer like you Dev!”

“Oh you are very brave Aditi. I know it.”

Was it adoration or something else in his eyes? Aditi thought maybe someday she will know. Maybe……..