Forensic Sciences Laboratory flooded with samples as drug-related cases see a spike

The increase in the number of drug-related cases is mainly due to the Mumbai Police’s crackdown on Mephadrone, a precursor to methamphetamine, which is not listed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and is currently a rage among youngsters as it offers all the effects that the generation looks for; speedy weight loss, lowered inhibition levels and the ability to function without sleep for long periods of time.

In order to work their way around the fact that Mephedrone is not banned under the NDPS act, the police started charging those found to be in possession of the drug for possession of “suspected methamphetamine”, due to its similar appearance and effects, or for possession of poisonous substances under section 328 of the Indian Penal Code.

Accordingly, FSL, which earlier used to receive 15 to 20 drug-related cases in a month, received 120 cases, all of Mephedrone or “suspected meth” in the last one month alone.

The police have asked the FSL to submit test reports as soon as possible so that in cases where the drug turns out to be Mephedrone and not methamphetamine, they can revoke the NDPS charges and book the arrested accused under the section 328 instead.

“We have received a large number of samples from the Mumbai police to be tested for Mephedrone or methamphetamine. We have a team of three forensic technicians working on these samples, and the test reports for the first batch of samples that were sent to us last month will be complete by the first week of January,” said FSL director M K Malve.

The development will mean that the slew of cases registered by the police this year will finally start going to court, as the police have only been waiting for FSL reports for these cases to go further.

The police have, in the last two months, registered over 50 cases of possession and consumption of Mephedrone or “suspected methamphetamine”.

“Once we have the reports from the FSL, we will start filing chargesheets in the cases,” said Mumbai Police Spokesperson DCP Dhananjay Kulkarni.